Merry Freaking Christmas
by TheJavaGirls
Summary: Liason This took place awhile ago. Jason realizes all he wants for Christmas is Elizabeth. Too bad all she wants is to give him a black eye.
1. Chapter 1

It was that time of year again. Port Charles was once again under siege by the Christmas season. People were putting aside their differences. Families were reuniting. Residents were out in droves, their eyes glazed over and their charge cards melting. Christmas was in the air, and Elizabeth Webber wanted to shove her fist down the next person who wished her a Merry Christmas.

How in the world had she ever thought this time of the year was magical? Had she really once bought in all this crap about good will to men? As she saw it, it was just another day for her to be miserable. There was nothing special about that.

Slamming out of the double hinged doors, Elizabeth glanced around Kelley's. Her eyes landing on the irritatingly familiar scene of Courtney serving Jason and the new Mrs. Morgan their midmorning meal. Suppressing a groan, Elizabeth wrapped her apron around her waist and headed to the coffee station. She could do this. Just like she'd been forced to do it for the last two months. Plaster on a whooper of a fake smile and just keep putting on foot in front of the other.

"Elizabeth." Courtney smiled as she came behind the counter. "I didn't see you come in."

"I came through the back door." Shrugging her shoulder, Elizabeth shoved a note pad into her front pocket.

"Oh."

She could practically feel the weight of Courtney's stare. "What?"

"Well I was just wondering." Stammering a little, Courtney shifted as her eyes fought to look Elizabeth in the eye. "What I mean is that AJ and I were wondering if...You know that he and I are working on our marriage and all after the stalker incident..." Putting a hand to her forehead, Elizabeth waited as Courtney tried to get out whatever it was she was trying to say. Wondering if a harsh slap upside the head would get the blond going. "Well he wanted to take me to the Quartermaine cabin this weekend. And I was wondering-."

"If I'd cover your shifts for you." Rushing to cut off the blond before she took another hour to ask, Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah sure."

"Are you positive? Christmas is on Monday. I'd hate to ruin your plans."

"Trust me Courtney, there's nothing to ruin." Stepping around her co-worker, Elizabeth headed to one of the dirty tables. Keeping her eyes lowered as she passed Jason and Brenda, she almost didn't realize that Courtney had followed her.

"I mean it Elizabeth. If you had something else planned I can tell AJ no. It is Christmas after all. If you and your family-."

Spinning around on her heel, Elizabeth forced a smile. "Courtney go. I don't have any plans this weekend. Don't worry, okay?" Turning back around and staking one dirty plate on top of the another, she silently begged that Courtney for once get a clue and just walked away. Before she lost her temper and took it out on her.

Hearing the sound of her footsteps walking away, Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. Setting a half filled coffee cup on top of the plates she picked the stack up just in time to see an already drunk Luke Spencer, stumble through the door.

"Ho, Ho, freaking Ho." Waiving his bottle of Jim and Beam in the air, Luke took a bleary look around the restaurant, his eyes stopping on his favorite target since his return. "Well if it isn't little Lizzie Webber." Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Luke narrowed his bloodshot eyes in her direction. "Whatcha been up to? Ruined any other innocent women's lives lately?"

"Go home and sleep it off Luke." Her cheeks reddened at his unwanted attention. The entire restaurant fell silent the moment the town's new whack job tripped through the door. Turning her back on him, she decided the best course of action was to ignore him. Sooner or later he always got tired and turned his attention elsewhere.

Only this time, before she could take a step toward the kitchen, Luke grasped painfully onto her arm and he yanked her back. Her grip loosened on the plates, the coffee sloshing over the rim of the coffee cup and down the front of her before they all went crashing to the floor.

"Ooops did I do that?" His dry chuckle had her teeth grinding together, as she jerked her body away from his, but his fingers tightened. Biting into the flesh of her arm. "What's the matter Lizzie? Does that hurt?" Tears swam in her eyes, but she refused to give Luke the satisfaction of crying. "You know what hurts little girl?"

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor sounded like a cannon. "Let her go."

Both Luke and Elizabeth looked up. Finding Jason just feet away. The veins in his neck bulging, his jaw line corded. "Well if it isn't the other half of the relationship that never was." Nodding his head and sneering in Jason's direction, he shook Elizabeth a little to see what exactly Jason would do. "Don't tell me you're still worried about this worthless, no-good, waste of a human being."

Without a word, Jason stepped around the table.

"Now where was I before the phantom avenger interrupted?" Clearly not phased by the dark look Jason was sending him, Luke scratched the side of his head. Liquor bottle still in hand. "Oh yeah you know what hurts? Is that we allowed you into our family when you had nobody else. I treated you as though you were my own daughter. And what's the thanks I get?" Looking around the restaurant at the startled customers, Luke's glassy eyes were filled with anger. "I'll tell you what she did to thank me. She and my worthless son sent my darling, innocent wife to death row. It wasn't like she doesn't have enough to deal with. But now if she ever gets better she has no future."

Brenda started to move, but Jason turned around and motioned her to stay. Turning back to where Luke was still holding onto Elizabeth, Jason leveled his eyes on the older man. "I mean it Luke. Let her go."

"Let me think about it." Lifting the bottle to his lips, he took a long pull. "No." Laughing he shook his head. "Boy I gotta give you some credit. Getting away from this poison like you did. I'm just surprised you didn't do it sooner Morgan. But no one ever said you were all that smart."

The door behind them opened and Bobbie's voice brought anymore of Luke's ramblings to a halt. "Luke Spencer stop it this minute!"

Turning around, dragging Elizabeth with him, Luke groaned at the sight of his infuriated sister. "Bobbi stay out of this."

"No." With a shake of her head she stepped forward. "You need to stop this, you've gone too far." Taking a hold of Luke's hand and prying his fingers from Elizabeth's arm, she looked him in the eye. Disgust rolling off her in waves. "No more. We all know that you miss Laura, but enough is enough. There will be no more calls in the middle of the night. Asking us to meet you in some secluded spot in the woods to dig fake graves. No more of you angry outbursts. You could've hurt her." Nodding her head in Elizabeth's direction, Bobbie's eyes softened as she watched the young girl rub her arm. "Are you okay Elizabeth?"

"Yeah." Her answer was hollow, as she turned around and headed for the kitchen. Tears pooling in her eyes already. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jason start to move in her direction. Looking up and sending him a look that told him to stay away, she hurried to the kitchen so she could lick her wounds in private.

The dinning room remained quiet until the doors swung closed behind her.

"Oh stop looking at me like that Bobbie-Jean. I was just having a little fun." Swaying on his feet, Luke spotted a vacant chair and stumbled into it.

"I suggest you keep Elizabeth out of your fun from now on." Jason's voice was deadly quiet, without a trace of emotion. The one that he used for his enemies.

"And I suggest, you overgrown woodpecker, that you take your wife and get the hell out of my restaurant." Waving his hand sloppily over his hand and toward the door, Luke put the bottle to his lips again.

Grabbing up her jacket and Jason's, Brenda joined him by his side. "Come on Jason, let's go."

"Yeah what she said." Luke nodded, staring off into space.

When Jason looked in the direction of the kitchen, Brenda pulled on his sleeve. "Jase, she needs sometime alone." Seeing the indecision in his blazing eyes, Brenda narrowed her eyes slightly. What in the hell had just happened here? Never had she claimed to be the most observant person. With the strain over the last couple of months she was really out of the loop. But the way Jason tensed and nearly came unglued when Luke grabbed the young brunette made Brenda wonder what she was missing.

And what was all that crap about the relationship that never was? Did Jason know Elizabeth? If he did, just how well did he know her? Brenda silently contemplated what she had seen. Went through the dialog inside her head, over and over again. She had a clue, just no real solid facts but she had a strong feeling of who would.

"We have to talk." The words came out of her mouth the second she stepped through Sonny and Carly's door, ignoring the evil look Carly sent her way. Closing the door loudly behind her she unzipped her jacket and threw it in an empty chair.

Sonny felt his blood freeze. Looking from his wife, over to is ex. Everything had been going so well that day. He and Carly were getting along. No fights or miscommunication problems while they decorated their Christmas tree. Talking and laughing like two young people who had just found love. It'd figure his ex would chose that moment to come barging in. A common occurrence ever since Brenda moved in with Jason across the hall.

It wasn't that he didn't love Brenda, she'd always have a special place in his heart. But he was in love with his wife. He also loved not having his wife in some jealous snit like she always seemed to get sucked into every time Brenda dropped in.

"What's up?"

"Tell me about Elizabeth Webber." The girl's name was barely out of her mouth, before Carly grimaced and looked over to Sonny.

"Why do you ask?" Sonny's words were slow as he walked around the boxes that littered his living room, all filled with Christmas decorations, to his small wet bar.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe it was the way Jason reacted when Luke Spencer attacked her today..." Placing both hands on her waist, Brenda tilted her head and gauged their reaction.

"Luke." Carly's eyes widened. "As in my Uncle?"

"Yeah as in the unhinged drunk." Brenda nodded.

"What did Jason do?" Setting down the glass bulb she had been preparing to hang on the tree, Carly turned her undivided attention to her husband's former flame.

"He did what Jason normally does when a woman is in trouble." Scrunching up her nose, Brenda waited for what she wanted to hear.

"He came to her defense." Sonny answered, pouring himself a stiff drink. He had a strong feeling he was going to need it.

"It wasn't exactly what Jason did. It was what Carly's charming Uncle said." Sonny and Carly waited wearily. "Something about Jason and Elizabeth being the couple that never was. About how Jason was a smart man to ditch her when he did. Something tells me there's something I don't know."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sonny gave a short nod. "That pretty much sums it up." Shrugging his shoulders he looked over to his wife to back him up. Carly met his eyes briefly, guilt and pain stared back at him.

"Really." Looking over to Carly, Brenda had the only answer she needed.

This was Carly's chance to be allowed to say what ever she wanted about little Miss perfect. She could see that Sonny expected her to back him up. Giving her the full opportunity to really let go, No censorship, just some free Elizabeth hating fun. "No."

"Carly!" Sonny groaned.

"What? All those times you hollered at me to leave the girl alone, now you want me to say what a horrible person I think she is. Or how I think Jason is better off without her?" Her voice hitched a little. Grumbling under his breath, he turned away from the heated glares of the two females. "I saw a different side of her while you were gone."

"She left him." Muttering under his breath like a child, he poured himself another large glass of Brandy.

"Why?" Brenda ignored Sonny's muttering in the corner, her eyes wearily met Carly's.

"Honestly?" Carly raised a brow. "I don't know. You know how Jason is, he doesn't talk about personal things."

Letting out a frustrated groan, Brenda ran her hands through her hair. "What do you think happened?"

"I think she got tired of waiting for him to come home." Carly said a little loudly as she looked over her shoulder at her husband. "Plus no one let her in on the fact that Sonny was alive."

"She got a little pissed huh?" Brenda's voice mocked, enjoying the wince it produced on Sonny's face. Served the jerk right.

"Like I said, I really don't know."

"Fine then tell me this. Were they in love?" Watching Carly's face twist in agony, Brenda felt her lips twitch. This was killing Carly.

"No." Her mouth frowning a little, Carly wrinkled her nose. "Well maybe. I mean. Please stop! I'm trying hard to be nice here. You don't know how hard this is for me." Rubbing her arms, Carly squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head slightly. As though she were trying to shake Brenda's question from her head.

Draining the rest of his glass, Sonny chuckled at his wife's antics. "Why all the questions Bren?"

Her eyes hardened slightly as she glanced over at him. "Well you know that my Christmas present to Jason is a divorce. But I was trying to find a way to let him know how much I appreciated everything he sacrificed by marrying me. In case you haven't heard I'm not the easiest person to get along with."

"Just moving out of his penthouse will be all the thanks he needs." Carly flashed a tooth grin Brenda's way.

"Actually I have another idea in mind and I need your help." She'd come there to get the confirmation she needed. Perhaps she hadn't gotten it in straightforward words. But she could read their faces and the tension in the room.

"Need the jet to fly back to Europe?" Carly snapped her fingers. "Consider it done."

"Actually I need to have somebody kidnapped." Brenda giggled at their faces, as she clapped her hands together.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lucky I'm fine, really . Luke is just upset about Laura. I understand." Forcing the words between her clenched teeth, Elizabeth glared at the deadbolt to her studio apartment. The stupid thing was stuck...again. Feeling Lucky shift behind her, she wondered for the hundredth time why she hadn't just put her foot down and told him no when he offered to walk her home.

Because I'm a big fat coward, she thought bitterly, twisting harshly on the key as she kicked the reinforced door with her booted foot. She knew that Jason was standing out in the courtyard for her. Both Courtney and Bobbie had confirmed he was there, he was waiting for her. Probably wanted to make sure she was okay after Luke's attack. With those trademark worried eyes, his hands shoved in his pockets. Go figure that after months of not talking it took physical violence for him to remember that she still actually lived in the same town as he did.

"I. Hate. This. Door." Each word was followed by a sharp kick. "It's ugly. A-and heavy. The locks never work right. For my safety? Please. It's more likely to drive me insane. I hate it." Slapping it with her open palm, she took a step back and took a deep breath.

"Can I?" Lucky sounded unsure after her little outburst.

Turning her head in his direction and pinned him with a bland stare. "Go for it." Stepping back, she huffed as he stepped around her and easily turned the key. "Figures." Brushing past him, she gave the door one last evil glance.

"So do you want to talk about it?" Walking slowly around the studio, Lucky avoided looking directly at her. His gaze traveled to the half-finished painting on the easel near the window. It was dark and depressing. Something that would probably give him nightmares for weeks.

Unbuttoning her jacket and hanging it on the hook near the door, she pretended not to hear the question. "So you and Nikolas still plan on going to Europe to visit Laura?"

"Yes." The word was dragged out. "Elizabeth you really need to talk about--."

"That's great. I'm sure that it'll be good for all of you." With a slight nod she walked purposely over to the coffee table, stacking the year old magazines in neat piles. "When do you leave?"

"Oh. I don't know?" Lucky half sang. "How long are you going to avoid my question?"

"What question?" Smirking over at him.

"Fine you don't want to talk about it. I can take a hint." He shook his head sadly and heaved out a deep sigh. Looking around the bare studio, Lucky tried to find something else to talk about instead. "I thought you would've gotten a Christmas tree by now."

Elizabeth flinched, as something flickered in her eyes. "I'm not."

Swinging his head around his face showing his disbelief. "You? The world's biggest Christmas junkie, isn't going to get a tree?"

"It's no big deal." Shrugging her shoulder with an air of disinterest, she knew deep down she wasn't fooling him. "I'm just not in the Christmassy mood this year."

"Because of Jason." She sucked in a deep breath as her face paled. "Elizabeth, I can see that this has been hard on you."

"I don't want to talk about it." He watched as she retreated into herself, like she always did when the pain got to be too much.

"Tough. I won't stand back and watch you do this to yourself any longer."

"Do what? I'm not buying a Christmas tree. It's not the end of the world." Turning her back on him as walked over to the window and stared down on the empty docks.

"It's not about the stupid tree. This is about how you've cut yourself off from the world. You're hurting. I can see it. Nikolas can see it. Christ even Gia sees it."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

A disbelieving grunt echoed off the walls. "Right. So prove it. Meet us at club 101 tonight."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Elizabeth leaned her head forward. Just the thought of being in a room filled with happy people felt like a fist around her heart. "I..."

"Have a headache?" He asked. "No cause that's the excuse you used last week. Have a painting to finish?" Shaking his head, Lucky shoved his hands into his pockets. "Cause I can tell you that you haven't touched that hideous thing in days." Looking again at the painting he felt a shiver go down his spine.

"I just don't feel like it okay? And my painting isn't hideous." Looking over her shoulder at the unfinished painting she couldn't help but silently agree with him. "I just want to be alone."

"So you can just sit here and beat yourself up over how things didn't work out with Jason?"

Her spine stiffened. "I never said this was about Jason."

"You didn't have to." Answering her in a hushed voice, Lucky moved across the room to stand by her side. "I heard that he tried to step in when my father grabbed you." He knew he was on shaky ground, but he had to get her to talk. To let out some of the pain she was feeling.

"It didn't mean anything. He was doing what Jason does best. Protecting weak innocent women." Her voice caught.

"Courtney said that she'd never seen him so angry before." Watching her face twist in pain, he held his breath.

"Lucky..."

"It's okay to miss him Elizabeth. To be angry that things didn't work out between the two of you. If it means anything I'm sorry that you're in so much pain." He wanted to hug her. To let her know that no matter what they had gone through, the pain he had himself put her through. In the end he was still her friend.

Her face crumbled. Big fat tears slid down her face as she sucked in deep breaths. "He didn't even try. He told me he wanted to be with me."

"I'm sure he did. You're a wonderful person." He hated to see her cry he but knew she needed to get it out. Elizabeth was too good at keep her emotions bottled up, hidden from the rest of the world. But he was afraid that one of these days she was going to combust.

"So wonderful that he never came home." Swiping at the tears, Lucky sighed as he watched her anger return. "Or that he felt the need to lie to me." Her cynical words cut through him.

"I'm sure he had a good reason for what he did. Jason doesn't lead a normal life Elizabeth. There's things he has to do, things that you may not understand, to make sure no one gets hurt."

"Lucky Spencer are you defending Jason to me?" Her eyes rounded as she looked over at him in shock.

"Stranger things have been known to happen." He half joked. Pursing her lips together she looked out into the night. "Why don't you try and talk to him."

"No."

"Elizabeth I'm sure if you go to him. Let him know how much-."

"No!" Her voice was filled with conviction. "He's made it clear that I don't matter anymore. Jason has his own life now. With Brenda."

"Everyone in Port Charles knows that marriage is a shame. I can't even tell you how many times I've seen her out on the town with Jax."

"Lucky I'm done pushing my way into people's lives. Making them hear me when all they want is to be left alone." Leaving her spot at the window she walked, with her spine as stiff as a rod, over to her beat up couch and flopped down on it. "I've learned my lesson with your Father. Now if you don't mind I'd really like to be alone right now."

"You can't..." Seeing the desperate look in her eyes, Lucky let his sentence fade. "Fine. But if you change your mind, we'll be at club."

Watching her slowly shake her head, Lucky grumbled under his breath and headed for the door.

Gravel crunched under his heavy boots as Jason walked down the dirt path leading up to the bridge. He needed sometime alone. Away from Brenda's endless chatter. Sonny's irritating orders and Carly's aggravating schemes. He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't been on autopilot, letting everyone else's wants and needs direct him where to go, what to do. Somewhere along the line it had been easier that way.

Now he was getting tired of it. His life was a joke, unrecognizable to him. Married to a woman he couldn't stand. His friendship with Sonny had taken a huge step in the opposite direction. There was a time they had been equals, knew exactly what to expect from one another. Now he was taking orders left and right. Running all over town, like some well-trained jackass, making sure everyone else was happy.

But he was done. He wanted his life back and he wanted it now. As much as he hated to admit it, coming home hadn't been the brightest thing he'd ever done. Sure being on the road had been lonely. An endless line of dirty dives. Crappy food and nameless faces. With only the memories of his family and friends to occasionally fill the holes when the solitude had become too much to bare. But he'd been able to look at himself in the mirror without scowling. Could jump on his bike and taking off without anyone else to worry about.

Most of all he hadn't been faced with the shell of what had once been Elizabeth Webber. A woman's whose laughter and loving heart had haunted him over three different continents, through sleepless nights and beautiful sunrises. Now she was reduced to someone he didn't recognize. Damnit he knew better than to let what they had between them go any farther. Had known that sooner or later his life style would taint her, suck every good and decent quality she possessed from her. The hell of it he never thought it would only take him a few weeks to accomplish it. He'd single-handedly ruined the best thing that'd ever happened to him. Took away her heart-stopping smile, the dreamy look in her eyes. What he would give to hear her laughter again.

Christ she had all but let Luke abuse her today. As much as it pained him to admit it, he was a little disappointed in her. Had believed her to posses more spirit, more determination, and a lot more passion. She had just stood there letting him go off on her, shake her around like she was some rag doll. The Elizabeth Webber he knew would've fought back. He'd shown her enough moves to have gotten out of that old kook's hold a hundred times over. And that look on her face when she had rushed to the kitchen, it was enough to make him want to forget that she didn't want him in her life anymore.

He wanted to grab her by the shoulder and shake her until she snapped out of it. To yell and throw things until there was some sign of life in those eyes again. Anything would be better than watching her run off to lick her wounds in private.

With a deep rumbling growl, Jason drew back his foot and kicked hard at the bridge. Everything was so screwed up. What was it that he had once told Elizabeth? If you're not happy with something, fix it. Maybe not in those words, but close. He wanted to fix so many things. Aspects of his life that had just gotten so out of control that he didn't even know where to start. It'd a backhoe to clean all the crap out of his life.

Straightening he took in a deep breath and hung his head down low. Where would he start?

"Are you insane?" Sonny's demanding voice boomed, bouncing off the walls and making the two females flinch. "You can't just go around kidnapping people!"

"Sure I can. Actually it'd be easy ." A nervous giggle passed her lips as she watched Sonny wave an irritated hand at her as he turned back to his drink.

"Who do you want to kidnap?" Carly took a step forward, not able to resist.

"Elizabeth--."

"Absolutely not." Not letting her finish, Sonny slammed down the glass he'd been drinking from. "That girl has been through enough this year."

Seeing the puzzlement in Brenda's eyes, Carly filled her in. "She was kidnapped this summer. They kept her in a crypt. If it weren't for Sonny and Jason getting to her in time she would've died."

"Jesus I was thinking of a cabin. Not some smelly grave. Plus she won't be in danger." Not seeing the problem, Brenda pressed on with her plan.

"She might not be, but when Jase finds out it was you that had her kidnapped? You won't stand a chance in hell." Sonny said.

"I thought she didn't mean anything to him." Raising her brow at her former lover, she watched as a blush crept up his neck. "You're losing your edge. Besides I plan on trapping him there with her."

Carly's mouth twitched as she placed a hand in front of her mouth. Soon a small giggle escaped, followed by a full-fledged laugh. "Oh my god you are insane."

Brenda beamed. "Thanks."

"Let me get this straight. You." Sonny jabbed a finger in Brenda's direction. "Plan on having not only Elizabeth kidnapped but you plan on taking Jason as well? How?"

"Well that's why I need your help." Crossing the living room and taking a seat on the arm of the leather couch, Brenda got down to business. "I need Johnny and Francis."

"No."

"Fine." Leaping up again, Brenda headed toward the door.

Watching her walk away, Sonny scratched the side of his head. "You're gonna let it drop? Just like that?"

"Oh I didn't say that. I'll just ask Jax for help." Picking up her jacket Brenda pulled it on slowly, smiling innocently over at the shocked couple. "He'd get a kick out of this."

"Why does this mean so much to you?" Seeing that he was beat, Sonny put his hands back into his pockets. "You don't even know Elizabeth and I know you can hardly stand Jason."

"Because when he and I are divorced, I'll be happily engaged to Jax. You and Carly have the whole family thing going for you. But what does Jason have?" Her eyes saddened. "Nothing. He has a bunch of people he caters to. No one waiting for him at home at the end of the day. I think he at least deserves that. And if Elizabeth Webber can give it to him? Then yay Elizabeth."

"Jason's happy being alone." Sonny countered.

"Really? Sonny he'd how old now? Twenty-six? Twenty-seven? He's well past the sowing his oats stage and is probably ready to settle down. He was ready years ago with Michael and Robin." The words were like ice water. Like it was some kind of unwritten word that no one spoke about that time. "But we all know that didn't work out. He needs his own life. With a woman who loves him and a child of his own."

"Fine." Carly was the first to talk. "I'm in."

Spinning toward his wife, Sonny's jaw dropped. "You're willing to put your friendship with Jason on the line like that? You know he doesn't want you meddling with his life."

"Oh give it up Sonny. Brenda's onto something that we've both noticed but have been too selfish to talk about. Jason isn't the same person he used to be. He's unhappy, and if we don't do something now he's gonna go away again."

The silence in the room was deafening. "Fine. But this is all on you Brenda."

Jumping up and down, clapping her hands in glee, Brenda squealed and raced over to kiss Sonny and Carly on the cheek. "You won't regret this." Turning around and dashing out of the penthouse, she missed the shared look of uncertainty on the people she left in her wake.


	3. Chapter 3

Candles flickered in the darkness, casting shadows on the wall. Funny, just a few months ago the darkness had scared her. Made her blood freeze and her body tremble. Now it calmed her like nothing else could. Sitting on her old couch, afghan draped across her body, Elizabeth stared at the dancing flames. Leaning her head back, she blocked out the pain and rejection that had been slowly choking her everyday.

A sharp knock at the door had her groaning. Lucky. There wasn't anyone else brave enough to come over this late at night. Deciding to ignore the intrusion, she let her eyelids droop. Another knock echoed off the walls.

"Go away Lucky. I'm not going anywhere tonight."

"Miss Webber? It's not Lucky." Francis's muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "I need to speak to you."

Glancing around, she looked at the candles, then at the door. Why was it that she just couldn't be left alone? And what was Francis doing here? Knowing him, he'd probably stand out in the hallway until she got off her lazy butt and answered the door. Grumbling her frustration Elizabeth tossed the ugly beige afghan off her onto the floor.

Padding barefoot over to the door, she yanked on the chains. Twisted the four deadbolts, and turned the doorknob. Opening the door, she wanted to be angry with the man standing on the other side. But couldn't find it in her to do so. It wasn't entirely his fault that he worked for assholes. "What can I do for you Francis?"

The man who had once been responsible for her safety fidgeted in place. His face a mask of discomfort. "I need you to come with me."

Tilting her head back to get a better look at him, Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. "Why would I do that?"

"I... Miss Webber please don't make this any harder than it has to be. Please?"

Crossing her hands over her chest, her eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure if you've been taking any notes. But I'm no longer at Jason or Sonny's beck and call. I turned in my decoder ring and have forgotten the secret handshake. So just tell me what's going on, or leave."

Francis let out a deep breath. He knew he should've asked for the week off. "I'm not at liberty to say."

He was stalling. Something was going on. "Let me guess its business."

"Something like that." Nodding, Francis knew immediately he'd made a huge error in judgment. Cold rage nearly oozed off her small frame as she straightened and prepared to slam the door in his face. Crap! Why couldn't he have been given an easy job? Like taking out an enemy, or swimming through shark infested waters?

Placing his foot in the way of the door just before it shut, he gave her an apologetic smile. "Listen I wasn't supposed to tell you this...but someone has been kidnapped."

Her stomach dropped. God she hated those words. "Who?"

"Please just come with me?"

"Am I in danger?"

Shaking his head, Francis held up his hand in front of him. "No. You're safe. Elizabeth no matter what happened between you and Mr. Morgan you'll always have me and the guys looking out for you. You're like a little sister to us." His eyes shinned with sincerity, causing Elizabeth to let down her guard. "But I really need you to come with me out to the limo."

Her entire stance clearly showed her indecision. Chewing on her lower lip, looking up at him with those damn trusting eyes. Christ he was going to hell. "Fine. Let me grab my jacket."

The breath he was holding let out with a long hiss, Francis almost missed what she was about to leave her studio dressed in. Silky powder blue pajamas. "Would you like a moment to change?"

Taking her jacket off the hook near the door she shoved her feet into her winter boots and shook her head. "I only plan on going out to the limo, then coming straight back up here." Her voice was cold, not giving him a chance to argue with her.

Shrugging on her jacket, she quietly closed the door behind her. "Ready?"

"Really Miss. Webber, I can wait if you want to change." Visibly gulping he held his hands in front of him to keep them from shaking.

"Stop calling me Miss Webber. You know my name." Starting to walk down the hall, she didn't stop to see if he was following.

"Anything you say Elizabeth." Francis muttered under his breath as he followed.

It wasn't difficult spotting Sonny's stretch limo. Seeing that it stuck out like a sore thumb in the run down part of town. Hurrying over to the back, she heard the whirl of the automatic window. She really had no idea who she'd find sitting inside. Sonny, Carly...Jason. Who she hadn't been prepared to see was Brenda.

"Brenda?"

"Hi." Her smile was practically electrifying. "I'm really glad I finally had a chance to meet you."

Wrapping her arms around her shivering body, Elizabeth felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "That's just wonderful. Francis said someone was kidnapped."

Brenda looked over at the guilty looking guard and shook her head with amusement. "Well not yet."

Goosebumps started to spread up and down Elizabeth's arms. "Listen, not to be rude or anything. But it's cold out here and I'm not in the mood for games. Who exactly is supposed to be kidnapped?"

"You." Brenda answered, her eyes sparkled.

Taking a huge step away from the vehicle, Elizabeth's arms fell to her side as her eyes darted around looking for the best direction to run. "Excuse me?"

"It's sort of my thank you gift to Jason."

"You're insane!" Dear lord, did he hate her that much that his wife thought getting rid of her was a wonderful thank you gif?

"No. Actually Louis paid my doctor off. I never was sick."

"Really?" Another step back had her colliding with Francis broad chest. "I strongly suggest that you get a second opinion."

"Listen, I just found out about you and Jason." Seeing that she hadn't really explained herself all that well, Brenda looked at the young woman with compassion. "And well I think with you in his life he might have a shot at happiness."

"Hasn't anyone been paying attention?" Glaring over her shoulder at Francis, Elizabeth swung her head back to Brenda. "Jason and I don't have anything. He doesn't want me, friend or otherwise."

"I think you're wrong." Brenda argued. "I'm going to prove it."

"By kidnapping me?" Her voice was getting louder but she could care less if somebody were to overhear. Spinning around she glowered up at Francis. "Do you really think either one of your bosses are going to like this?"

"I'm following orders." To give him credit Francis didn't look like he enjoyed having to do this. His eyes could barely meet hers.

"What?" Her eyes widened. "Who? Carly?"

"Well not just her. Sonny told me-."

"Sonny!" This wasn't happening. No she was dreaming and when she woke up it would all be a faded memory. "Oh give me a break."

"Elizabeth-"

"It's Miss Webber to you from now on." Her words were clipped as she ran her freezing fingers through her hair. Turning back around to look at Brenda, Elizabeth leaned forward a little. "So what's your plan? You take me and think that Jason will come running again to find me?"

Her nose wrinkled a little, and then Brenda nodded her head. "Well yeah."

"It's not going to work. He wouldn't notice if aliens abducted me. Maybe in a few weeks, a month, perhaps a year he might catch on. But trust me, I'm not really on the top of his to do list." Taking a step to the side, she started to circle around Francis, only to have him put out his hand to stop her. "Come on Francis, don't be stupid. He's not going to like this."

With a sad nod of his head, Francis didn't waste anytime picking her up and placing her the back of the limo. "Mrs. Morgan you might find it safer sitting in the front." His tone polite, he waited for Brenda to slip out of the back. Flipping the child locks in the panel, Francis shut the door on Elizabeth's angry tirade.

Stepping into his empty penthouse, Jason gave a sigh of relief that Brenda wasn't home. He'd given it some thought and decided that the best thing for him was to get out of town for a little while. Not for a long period of time. A week or two should be fine. Just so he could take some time and prioritize his life. And to do that, he needed space.

Walking over to the closet, he jerked the door open and dug around until he found what he was looking for. A worn out duffel bag in one hand, Jason took the stairs two at a time, knowing that the sooner he left the better.

Opening dresser doors and shoving clothes into his bag, he didn't really pay attention to what he was packing. Whatever he forgot he could buy later. Hurrying to the bathroom he grabbed his toothbrush and razor. Looking around for anything he might have forgotten he zipped up his bag and swung it over his shoulder.

Jogging down the stairs, he grabbed his keys off the desk and headed out. Walking across the hall to Sonny's he knocked softly on the door before opening it.

"Jason." Carly looked up from her seat on the couch. Her eyes zeroed in on the bag he dropped near the door. "Plan on going somewhere?"

"Just for a few weeks. Where's Sonny?"

"In the kitchen. Where are you going?" She looked nervous. No strike that Carly looked guilty.

"No where really. Just need some time away." Tilting his head to the side and openly stared at her until she started to squirm. "What did you do this time?"

"Why do you always assume that I did something?" Looking insulted, Carly pushed herself off the couch and made a real show of picking up Christmas decorations and placing them on the half-decorated tree.

"When aren't you up to something?"

"Jason. I haven't done anything for you to worry about. Besides, aren't you the first person I run to when I find myself in a fix?" Picking up another glass bulb she chanced a look over at him.

"Jason." Sonny came walking out of the kitchen. Placing two large plates on the table, he grinned over at him. "Something up?"

"He's leaving for a couple of weeks." Carly's eyes met Sonny's briefly as a silent message was shared.

"Really?" Scratching his chin, Sonny looked thoughtful. "When did you decide this?"

"I just need some time away. Alcazar is dead. Brenda's going to be fine-" The phone on Sonny's desk interrupted Jason.

With an apologetic look, Sonny walked past Jason and picked it up. "Yeah... Brenda calm down." Jason's head snapped up. "Brenda I can't understand you..." Watching as Sonny put a hand to his ear, Jason took a step closer. "I can't...Give the phone to Francis... What in the hell is going on?... When?.. Where?... Francis are you sure it was her? Keep Johnny there and I'll send Marco out to pick them up. I want you to tail that damn car." Slamming down the phone, Sonny hung his head down low and prayed he could pull this off. He had no idea why he had allowed himself to get pulled in this far. But with Carly and Brenda nagging him, he really hadn't stood a chance.

"What happened? Did poor little Brenda break a nail?" Carly's snide comment came from the other side of the room.

"No she saw Elizabeth Webber being kidnapped." Sonny stared down at the desk. He couldn't look up.

"My God what does that make? The third time this year?" Both men ignored Carly's biting tone.

Jason felt ice run through his veins. The same exact feeling he had earlier that summer. How could this be happening? She wasn't a part of his life anymore. He'd personally seen to that. So who in the hell would want to harm her? "Luke."

"What?" Both Sonny and Carly stopped what they were doing to look at Jason.

"He attacked her earlier today." Already moving for the door, Sonny quickly stepped in his path.

"Jase you need to stop and think. If it were Spencer wouldn't Francis have recognized him? Or Johnny?"

Looking at the floor, Jason grunted in agreement. "Where was she taken?"

"In front of her building." Sonny's answer was smooth.

"What was Brenda doing down there?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Sonny answered defensively. "She's your wife."

"Will you two relax? Christ, Elizabeth can write a survival guide for kidnapped victims by now." Really getting into it, Carly studied her newly polished candy apple red nails, boredom written all over her face. "Besides Francis is tailing the idiot that took her."

Sonny glared over at his wife. Traitor. He'd given her an opportunity to rail into Elizabeth earlier. Did she take it? No. "Marco will be bringing Johnny and Brenda back here soon. You need to hear all the facts before you start running around town again."

Looking as though he may argue, Jason's face turned to granite and gave a short nod.


	4. Chapter 4

He was having a hard time believing the string of luck they were having. First, Elizabeth abduction had witnesses. Not just any witnesses but Brenda, Johnny, and Francis. Second, whoever took Elizabeth had at least a five-minute lead. Anything could have happened in that small amount of time. But for Francis to pick up the trail without any problem? Things were going smoothly...or perhaps a little too smoothly?

The thought had been nagging him. If he were going to kidnap someone, he'd sure as hell wouldn't want any witnesses. And who couldn't have noticed a black stretch limo in that area? Then to have had a few minutes lead, and then be found? Either some highly incompetent idiot was behind this, or someone was baiting them.

Reducing the speed of the black Durango, Jason searched for the sign on the side of the road, that Johnny had mentioned over the phone. It felt like he'd been driving for hours, but the clock on the radio indicated that he'd left the garage only ten minutes ago.

Where the hell was that blue sign? He'd passed it at least fifty times a week, never thinking twice about it. Now that it actually meant something to him he couldn't freaking find it. Almost thinking that he'd passed it, Jason was ready to turn the vehicle around when he spotted something about half a mile up the road. Pressing on the accelerator, his eyes pinned to his target, he nearly let out a sigh of relief when the sign he'd been looking for came into sight.

Pulling the Durango over into the breakdown lane, he turned off the ignition. Francis had told Sonny he'd be there, so where in the hell was he? Looking toward the line of trees that was just a few feet away, he swore that if Francis didn't get his ass in gear soon or there would be hell to pay when this was done and over with.

A movement at the edge of the woods caught his attention. Francis. Opening the door, he slipped out into the bitter winter night air. Rounding the front of the vehicle he waited until the guard got closer.

"I thought you said you'd meet me on the side of the road." His face clearly showed his irritation.

"Something came up."

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Jason pushed aside Francis answer. "Is she all right?"

Moving slowly through the deep snow, rubbing his hands together to get them warm, Francis nodded his head mutely.

"Who in the hell took her?"

This time Francis hesitated. "I don't know. I really didn't get that good of a look at him." Looking back toward the woods that Francis had exited from, Jason cautiously scanned the area.

Glancing back at Francis, Jason leaned in when he noticed the man's left eye looked slightly swollen. "What happened to your eye?"

Francis's hand immediately went to his face. "I tripped over a log. No big deal."

"You tripped over a log?"

"It's dark in there." Automatically defensive, Francis frowned. "You try getting around without any light."

Shrugging off Francis's explanation, Jason gazed up at the full moon in the sky, then back to the edge of the woods. "How far in?" Something felt off.

"About a mile."

"How many are there?"

"One. But he left her by herself in a cabin."

Jason's head snapped up. "There's only one?" Francis nodded. "And he left her alone?"

"Yeah...why?"

Making a face, Jason looked again at the terrain. That feeling was back again. There was something he was missing.

"Are you positive that he was alone?"

"Yeah. I've been keeping an eye on the cabin."

"Then why didn't you just go in and get her yourself?" Francis flushed at his question.

"Because Sonny told me to wait until you got here." Francis stood up straight. "Jesus Jason. Why are you interrogating me?"

"I'm not. This just doesn't make any sense is all." Both men lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Finally Jason let out a deep breath. "Let's go."

Sitting on the rise above the small cabin, Jason brought the binoculars up to his eyes and focused them on the cabin that was nestled below. Smoke was coming out of the chimney, the lights shined through the windows into the night.

"The windows have bars on them." Speaking out loud, Jason concentrated on finding any sign movement inside the cabin. Waiting breathlessly he saw a shadow, then Elizabeth. She was only a blur at this distance, but he'd know her anywhere.

"There she is." Lowering the glasses, he tossed them to the side as he reached for his weapon. "Cover me." Shifting uncomfortably in the snow, Francis only nodded as he reached for his own gun. "Call Sonny and let him know that I'm going in."

Nodding, Francis reached into his coat and pulled out his cell phone. "The battery in my phone is dead." Francis grunted.

Without a second thought, Jason grabbed his phone from his jacket and tossed it in Francis's direction. "Let him know that we don't need back up. But if we're not at the penthouse in an hour he needs to send the guys out here."

Standing up, not bothering to brush off the wet snow that was now melting into his jeans, Jason slid carefully down the slope. Grasping onto small trees to keep himself upright, hitting the bottom he ducked behind a large rock and scanned the area again.

He was less than thirty feet from the cabin. Thirty feet from Elizabeth. His heart rate increased as he made his way stealthy up to the front porch. His eyes and ears wide open for any sign of Elizabeth's abductor. Creeping up the steps, the second one creaked slightly, making him pause. He knew that Francis had said there was only one of them. But he didn't want to take any chance. Not with Elizabeth inside.

Skipping the third step, he tested his weight before going any further. When he'd finally reached the top step he didn't waste any time getting to the front door. Reaching inside his jacket for his lock picks, he made his way silently to the door.

Crouching down in front of the door, he worked on the lock until he heard it release. Taking a breath, his gun firmly in his hand, he swung the door open. Instead of searching for another other occupants, his eyes frantically scanned the room for Elizabeth.

Taking a step inside, he heard movement coming from the other side of the small structure. "Elizabeth?" The movement stopped and seconds later she appeared. His eyes scanned her physical appearance. She looked like she'd been put through hell. Wild curls framed her flushed face. A small scratch blemished her forehead and her blue pajamas were torn on her left knee, making him think that if he were to get a closer look, he'd find her kneecap scraped. Her right hand was cradled against her stomach. It looked like she had put up a good fight and whoever did this was going to pay. "Are you all right?"

Looking back up to her face, he watched as a mixture of conflicting emotions flickered through her haunting eyes. She shifted, and took a step closer. "How did you find out so quickly?" Her voice lacked the sharpness he'd been used to over the last couple of months. It was soft, barely over a whisper.

"Brenda...she called Sonny and-." His heart dropped when her frozen mask dropped back over her face and she took a small step back.

"Brenda? As in your delusional and deranged wife Brenda?"

"She said she saw you being kidnapped." He couldn't let her distance herself away from him again. Not after seeing the small shred of hope.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, disgusted at herself. She was such a fool. No she was the Queen of Fools. Stupidly she had believed that somehow Jason had found her because he'd just known she had been missing. Hoping there was a thin shred of hope that maybe there was still a chance for them. If she didn't buy herself a clue and soon she'd probably start believing in the Easter Bunny.

"Brenda called and told you I had been kidnapped?" Oh this was classic. What in the hell was the use of kidnapping her if Brenda just called him and let him know where to find her? Perhaps she'd had a change of mind. "That's just...great." Limping forward a couple of steps, she looked down at the floor before looking back up at him. "Can we just go please?"

Not wanting to take his eyes off her, Jason knew her abductor could be back at any moment. Keeping her in his peripheral vision, he glanced around the small cabin and took in the warm homey atmosphere. There was a fire going in the fireplace. A bare Christmas tree tucked away in the corner. A large leather couch and two side chairs positioned around the small room. Looking to his right he found the entrance to what appeared to be a small kitchen. Further down the wall was a hallway he'd seen Elizabeth emerge from.

"Not until I find out who was behind this."

"What are you talking about?" Looking at him strangely, Elizabeth eyes flickered past him to the door. "No! Jason the door." Running across the room, her foot connected with one of the end tables causing her to shout out in pain.

Taking a step toward her, Jason heard someone out on the porch. Halfway in the room, Jason spun around, his weapon level with the door. Instead of finding an enemy, Francis stood there instead. Lowering his gun, Jason pinched his nose before turning back to her. "Elizabeth, its just Francis." Before his sentence was finished the door slammed and Jason heard the eerie sound of the lock clicking into place.

Brushing past Jason, Elizabeth wobbled over to the door and started pounding on it will her left hand. "Francis you spineless wimp, you can't do this!" Screaming, Elizabeth hit the door one last time before spinning around to glare at Jason. "Tell that traitor on the other side of the door to let us go."

He'd been duped. No the correct term was, he'd been screwed. The echoing sound of the last piece of the puzzle falling into place nearly gave Jason a migraine. Looking back now, all of the holes, his gut feeling. All that there had been missing was a huge flashing neon sign reading trap.

"Francis?" Calling out, he had no doubt that the guard was standing out on the porch. Walking closer to the door, he watched Elizabeth stiffen when he got to close. Another step in her direction had her walking across the room.

"Yeah."

"Open the door." Jason's voice was a low growl.

"I-I can't do that. I have my orders."

Jason blinked at the door in confusion. "Orders? What orders?"

"Sonny...and Carly...and well ah your wife." The answer wasn't one that Jason wanted to hear.

"They had Elizabeth kidnapped and then set me up?"

"Oh look whose catching on." Elizabeth grumbled under her breath, glaring daggers in Jason's direction.

Francis took a moment before answering. "Yeah, something like that."

Hanging his head, Jason forced himself to take deep breaths. Anger, frustration betrayal raced through his veins. After everything he'd done all of the hoops he'd jumped through for Sonny and Carly. No matter what time of day or night they needed him he'd been there. He'd lied for them, was always there when their marriage was in trouble. Christ some of the things he'd done for Sonny would give most people nightmares for the rest of their lives. The only thing he'd ever asked from either one of them was to stay the hell out of his personal life. Instead they were elbow deep in it.

Brenda was another story all together. He expected something like this from her. Even with her clean bill of health she was flighty and did what she wanted, when she wanted. Sticking her nose where it didn't belong and messing up other people's lives was Brenda's unique ability. That's one reason why he never mentioned Elizabeth to her.

Pushing himself away from the door, he spared a look over to the couch where Elizabeth was sitting. Her back to him. Turning back around he let out an irritated sigh. "How long are you going to keep us here?"

"I wasn't told that." Francis answered.

"Is there anything that you do know Francis?"

"Yeah, that when you get out, I really don't want to you kick my ass." Grunting at Francis's answer, Jason scratched the side of his head.

"One last thing."

"Yeah?"

"How'd you get the bruise on your face?" Bracing his hands on the doorjamb, he waited for Francis's reply. "There was no log was there?"

"No it was more like Miss Webber's fist." Francis's muted voice answered through the door.

For the first time that night a slight smile tugged on his lips. "She hit you?"

"It's not funny man. Someone taught her how to throw a good right hook." The guards answer only brought up a few more questions.

"Her knee?"

"She tried to get away." Swinging his head over in her direction again, he watched as her back stiffened, but she didn't turn around. "She almost fell down in the gully on the other side of the house. Either I tackled her or let her fall."

Jason didn't know who he wanted to yell at more. The idiot on the other side of the door, or the stubborn mule sitting on the couch trying hard to ignore him.

"Hey Francis?"

"What?"

"Does your face hurt?"

"Hell yeah."

"Good." Walking away from the door without another word, he paused just feet from where Elizabeth was sitting and silently wondered who he was going to kill first. Sonny, Carly, Brenda, Francis, or his very own walking talking nightmare. Elizabeth.


	5. Chapter 5

This couldn't be happening. There were so many reasons why this entire situation was beyond wrong, it was taking Elizabeth awhile to wrap her mind around every single reason. What really threw her for a loop was that it seemed Carly and Sonny had as much to do with this as Brenda did. But why? Why now? Just months ago Elizabeth had been proven just how expendable they all had thought she was. Barely a blip on their radar.

Hearing Jason leave the room, Elizabeth shifted on the couch and tried to block out the stinging pain in her knee and hand. Okay, so running from Francis had been stupid. Running blindly into the night had been insane. Good thing he saw the drop, because her mind had flown south for the time being. And he didn't exactly tackle her either. It was more like she tripped, over a root, he fell on top of her. But if he thought he'd tackled her and it made him feel one ounce of guilt then she'd just keep letting him think that.

The punch. It had been more of an impulse. It probably shocked her more than it did him. But it had given her the chance to duck under his arm and get a head start on him. That's how the whole mess had started. If she had just done as he asked she wouldn't be sitting here in pain, her body scraped and bruised.

The sounds of cupboards opening and closing in the other room made her grumble underneath her breath. How exactly did McGyver think he was going to get them out of this one? Fashion a tool out of dry pasta and coffee grounds? She'd already checked the cabin out. The kitchen was well stocked, with enough food to last them at least a couple of weeks. One bedroom in the back had clothing, both male and female. Well at least now the mystery of the men's clothing had been solved. Lucky her.

Watching the flames dance in the fireplace she had missed the fact that he'd left the kitchen to explore the rest of their new prison. It wasn't until he took a seat in front of her, his lips pressed in a thin line, his eyes cold, as he placed a few items on the coffee table beside him.

"Let me see your knee." He wouldn't look right at her, instead kept his eyes on the rip in her pajama bottoms. His attitude was all business and he just waited there, expecting her to follow his orders like one of his employees. Well screw him and the white horse he rode in on. It wasn't her fault that his friends were all touched in the head. That they had pulled a fast one, and he was the idiot standing in the dark this time.

"Don't worry about it." Her words sounded harsh even to her own ears.

He didn't say a word, instead sat there waiting, as though he expected her to cave. To give in. As far as she was concerned he could sit there all night. She wasn't going to budge. Having him care for her injuries would just be more salt in a wound that refused to heal.

A muscle in Jason's cheek twitched as he waited impatiently for her to comply. He knew she was going to be mulish about this. Most likely would put up a fight. But he wasn't going anywhere. His mind was made up. He was going to clean that damn knee of hers. And when he was finished with that, he was going to clean the scrape on her forehead then take a look at her hand. Elizabeth Webber didn't own exclusive rights on being pigheaded and stubborn.

"Elizabeth, I'm not moving until I get a look at your knee." The look she sent him clearly showed where she'd like to put her knee.

Leaning forward until their faces were a few inches apart, Elizabeth's eyes darkened. "I can do it myself. I don't need you taking care of me."

"Too freaking bad." Pushing his face closer to hers, Jason matched her anger with some of his own. "I'm going to, so suck it up."

"If I had to choose between you bandaging me up, or letting my leg rot with gangrene... I'd chose gangrene." Arching her brows in a smug way that only angered Jason more. Pushing back the pain, Elizabeth squared her shoulders and made a real show of standing up so she could walk away.

Not in the mood any longer, Jason cursed darkly under his breath before shoving her back down on the couch. His hand snaked out, wrapping around her lower leg, before she had a chance to protest. No longer in the mood for her games, he strengthen his hold on her calf and held on tight when she fought against him. "If I have to sit on you to get this done I will." Yanking her leg up roughly, he rested her foot between his legs on the table he looked through the tear in the blue fabric and winced. She'd done a good job on it. A trail of dried blood went halfway down her shin, the scrape was deep and painful looking.

"Did you fall on a rock?" Knowing she probably wouldn't answer him, Jason reached for the silky fabric with both hands and tore at it. "Christ." He hissed.

Her knee was torn up. Just looking at it made his own knees ache. This would have been avoided if his good friends would have just stayed out of his life. "This might hurt."

"Gee, really?" Trying to move again, his thighs squeezed against her leg, keeping her in place.

Clamping his jaw shut to keep his sharp reply to himself, Jason concentrated on the anger inside of him, instead of the pain Elizabeth must be going through. Picking up a cotton ball, he soaked it in peroxide. Touching the swab to her injury, his stomach dropped at the long hiss that escaped her lips.

Without thinking, he leaned forward and blew gently on her knee. It was stupid of him really. Not only because he was just blowing germs into an open wound, but also because it was too intimate of an act. Something that didn't cross his mind until he saw her stiffen a little, her eyes widen like saucers. Pulling away, he started to clean the cut again.

Elizabeth tried to get her heartbeat under control again. It angered her to no end that he was able to get to her so easily. His face was a blank canvas again. His eyes unreadable, almost vacant as he went about his task. God how she wished she could do that. To shut off her emotions, to ignore the pain. The humiliation. The anger. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't do it. She'd get to the point that she felt she was about to combust.

"Did you hit him with a closed fist?" Again he was able to remove any emotion or feeling.

"I don't know." Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth held her hand closer to her stomach. "Wasn't really thinking about hitting techniques. I was a little more concerned about getting away."

Grunting, Jason set aside the tape he'd used on the makeshift bandage on her leg and reached for her hand. "I need to see if you jammed any fingers."

"Jason this is ridicules. I'm fine. So will you stop pretending that you care and leave me alone? I meant what I said, I can take care of myself. I've had a lot of practice at it."

"Elizabeth, you're hurt. I'm not going to just sit here and do nothing."

Putting her foot down on the floor, she tried to keep her face neutral, but couldn't keep from wincing. "My hand is fine." Lifting her hand up she wiggled her bruised fingers in front of his face. "See? Poor little Elizabeth doesn't need your help. I'm not useless like some females we know."

"Fine."

"Fine." Waiting for him to move, Elizabeth sighed when he once again didn't budge. Standing slowly, almost not trusting him to let her pass, she took a step to the right. Then another. Seeing that he wasn't going to make her sit back on the couch, she felt some of the tension leave her body.

Walking away, she felt his eyes on her back as she headed to one of the large windows near the front door. They needed to get out of here. Well she needed to get out of her. Right at this moment she could care less if Jason ever got out. If they could just call for help. But the only phone she'd found was dead, no dial tone, no chance to get in touch with anyone.

"Where's your phone?" Spinning around, Elizabeth couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner. Jason was never without that irritating thing. It was his umbilical cord to Sonny.

Jason's head shot up, his face darkened as he called himself every name in the book. "Francis has it."

"Great. The one time you don't have that thing surgically attached to your hand is when we really need it." Frustrated, Elizabeth turned her back on him again. "You didn't by any chance give your gun to him too did you?" Her sarcasm was enough to get his anger pumping again.

"No. It was the least he could do. Seeing that I might need it to end my misery." He didn't know where the words came from. But for just a brief moment it almost felt good to let her know how he felt. Instead of sitting on the anger he felt because of her. Or his constant pretending that her leaving didn't effect him. It felt good to lash out. No wonder Carly did it all the time.

Her back to him still, Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. Jason had just taken a pot shot at her. And if she wasn't furious at him at the moment she might have laughed. "Well don't let me stop you. Just make sure you don't make a mess. God only knows how long I may have to stay locked up here."

Her words didn't have the desired effect she'd been looking for. She wanted to hurt him. Make him feel unwanted. Instead when she looked back at him over her shoulder she saw a trace of amusement in his eyes instead. "I'm going to bed."

With as much dignity as she could muster, she hobbled across the room to the hallway. Slamming the door loudly behind her.

Sleep wouldn't come. It was stupid to think that she could just close her eyes and drift off, knowing that Jason was in the other room. Flopping from one end of the king-sized bed to the other, all she had managed to do, besides get the covers tangled around her, was increase her aggravation.

Kicking the covers off her, Elizabeth groaned when her knee started to throb again. Her hand was swollen, and the cut on her forehead stung. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes as she looked around the darkened bedroom.

Though the cabin was a hell of a lot better than the last place she'd been kept hostage in, she was still trapped. A feeling that made her throat tighten, and her muscles tighten. She hated having her freedom taken away from her. Even though for the last month or so she'd locked herself up in her studio, it'd been her choice. Not because she was forced to.

Sliding off the bed, she tested her weight on her leg before taking a step. It hurt, but after a few steps her knee loosened up. Walking silently to the bedroom door she pressed her ear against it to listen for any movement on the other side. Relieved by the silence, she eased the door open and waited again.

On her way to the bathroom, she peeked into the front room. The fire in the fireplace was the only source of light coming from the room. At first she didn't see Jason, until she took a step further into the room. He was lying on the couch, his legs hanging over one of the arm rests. Her eyes zeroed in on his face, making sure he was asleep before advancing into the room any further. His eyes were closed his breathing slow and easy. Limping closer to the couch, she frowned slightly when she noticed he was using his jacket as a pillow.

Taking a look around, she didn't spot any throws to cover him. With a heavy sigh, she returned to the bedroom. Calling her all kinds of a fool as she grabbed one of the thick blankets from the bed. Why should she care if he was cold? She should just go to the bathroom and lock herself up in the bedroom again. But she couldn't do that. Not to a man who'd saved her so many times.

Standing by the side of the couch again, she hesitated. Should she take off his leather jacket first, then cover him up? Or should she just toss the blanket on him and call it a night? One thing she knew was that she didn't want him waking up. She'd be hard pressed for answers as to why she was taking any pity on him.

Deciding that she was being a fool, a chronic condition for her as of late, Elizabeth eased the jacket off him. He only stirred once, a slight frown on his face. As quickly as she could she place the blanket over him and headed to the bathroom without another look. Watching him sleep, his face smooth of the stress lines, and the coldness of his eyes, was an addictive sight. Not something her heart could take.

Once she was done in the bathroom she spared one more look to the couch. God this was going to be hell.

He heard the bedroom door shut again, and allowed himself to resituate himself. He hated sleeping on couches. No matter how comfortable they were to sit on, they were never long enough, and they always gave him a backache in the morning.

Staring up at the ceiling he couldn't help but wonder at her actions. One minute she was glaring daggers at him. Pushing him away. She'd told him that he'd lost any chance with her. Had he not seen the honesty in her eyes that day, he would have just assumed that she was just hurt. Sooner or later she'd calm down and they could talk things out. He'd always been able to see when she was lying. Could see past that little act she was so good at.

So it confused him as to why she cared whether or not he was comfortable. He'd laid as still as he possibly could. Curious as to what her intentions were. When he felt his jacket being lifted off him, he couldn't help but frown. But then the softness of a blanket was wrapped around him...

Sighing he looked at the dying flames. Would he ever figure out the way females worked?


	6. Chapter 6

Morning came and Jason was no closer to figuring out women than he was the night before. In fact he was a little more confused. One woman in particular had his mind turning inside out, as he tried to rationalize her behavior. Elizabeth Webber once made sense to him. He understood her. Could take one look in her eyes and knew what she was thinking. What she was feeling. But now she was a walking and talking contradiction.

One thing he was certain of. She didn't hate him. At least not as much as she pretended to. Or she wouldn't have bothered placing the blanket over him last night. So what did he do with that one conclusion that took him over four hours to come up with?

More importantly, what did he want? He was done being everyone else's go to guy. Twisting and bending until everyone else was happy around him. It was time he started to do things for himself again. Things that made him happy.

Bottom line, it was Elizabeth that made him happy. Just watching the way she smiled warmed him from the inside out. The way she used to get so excited about the smallest of things, keeping him on his toes with her wild theories and beliefs. Always trying to pull him into her wonderful world that she thrived in, making him see things from a different light.

He missed the special way she used to watch at him, when she thought he didn't know. The way her head would #$ to the side, as she worried on her lower lip. She made him feel ten feet tall with the faith she'd had in him. He was comfortable with her. Could tell her anything, without feeling she was psychoanalyzing him.

He'd let all of that slip away, the second he'd let her walk out his door. If he hadn't been so damned worried about everybody else he might have taken the time to really look in her eyes. Searching deep inside of her, instead of taking her words for face value. But he hadn't. There was no one else to blame but himself.

Yesterday on the bridge he'd decided that it was time for him to get control of his life again. To become the man he once was. Who did what he wanted, when he wanted and didn't think twice about what other people might think. He'd been happier that way.

A soft rap at the widow near the front door brought him out of his thoughts. Looking over the back of the couch he spotted Francis standing outside. Throwing the blanket off, he pushed himself off the couch and glanced over at the bedroom door.

Quietly he headed to the window, pushing up on the glass so he could speak to the guard who was watching him wearily. "Are you going to let us out?"

"Ah no." Francis gulped and took a step back when Jason's eyes flashed with frustration. "I just want to make sure you two survived the night without any casualties."

"If you're asking if I tackled her and scraped her knee on a jagged rock the answer would be no." Raising a brow at the paling man on the other side of the bars, Jason shifted. "Francis level with me. How long are they going to keep up with this?"

"I don't know." Jason kept his steely gaze on the man until the silence became too much for the guard. "Fine. Until you and Miss Webber have made up."

"Whose plan was this?"

"Mrs...Brenda." Francis stared at the bars, hoping that they were strong enough to keep Jason from grabbing him and pulling him through.

Snorting at Francis answer, Jason shook his head. "Sonny agreed to this?"

The guard looked away, a small smile on his lips. "He really didn't stand a chance. Not after Carly decided she wanted in on it."

"Carly?"

"Yeah."

"And Brenda." Jason clarified.

"Mind blowing isn't it?" Francis chuckled. "Seriously everything okay? How's Elizabeth's knee?"

Looking back over his shoulder again, Jason stared at the bedroom door and let out a long sigh. "Her knee will be fine." Swinging his head back around, Jason scratched his temple. "I need you to do a favor for me."

"Jase I can't let you out." To give the man some credit he appeared to feel bad about holding him hostage.

"I know. I need you to pick some things up for me."

"What?" Francis looked unsure.

"Hold on." Lifting up a hand, Jason walked toward the kitchen. After a few minutes he returned again, with a folded piece of paper in his hand. "There's a few things I need you to pick up. Plus one or two things I want done." Slipping the paper through the open window and bars, Jason waited as Francis read the list.

"I can get these things to you in about thirty minutes." Looking down at the paper skeptically, Francis lifted his head to look at Jason. "Are you sure about the rest? You don't know how long you'll be here."

"Yeah." Jason nodded. "Just do it."

"Okay." Francis folded the paper back up again before waving goodbye to Jason.

Sure to his word, Francis was back less than thirty minutes later. A large plastic shopping bag in hand. Getting it through the bars had been tricky. Jason looking over his shoulder a few times toward the bedroom. Praying that Elizabeth would stay asleep a little while longer.

"Did you get the rest of the things done?" Jason asked in a hush tone.

"Yeah. But if you change your mind just tell me."

Shaking his head, Jason's lips twisted into a smile. "Don't worry."

"Yeah right. You've only been cooped up in there for nine hours and you're already acting like you've lost your mind." Pulling on his gloves, Francis shook his head. "Tell Eliza..." Seeing the way Jason's eyes narrowed, Francis cleared his throat. "I mean tell Miss Webber I'm sorry about last night...and well...everything."

Jason nodded as he shut the window. Looking around the small living space he went in search of a hiding place.

She couldn't hide in bed all day. Sure it'd been nice sleeping in. It was quiet here. Not like at her studio with all of the noise coming from below on the docks had the tendency to wake the dead. Sounds of cranes and heavy machinery interrupting her sleep well before she was ready to face another day. Here the silence had been a blissful change of pace. But now it was driving her up the wall.

For the last hour she'd lain in bed, trying to hear any movement coming from the other side of the door. She'd heard him earlier in the kitchen. Probably making himself a pot of coffee. The bathroom door closed once. Other than that it'd been as quiet as a church.

Her anger that fueled her the night before was gone. Leaving her empty inside again. She couldn't believe she'd acted that way in front of Jason. Saying things and acting out in ways that under normal circumstances she'd never dream of doing. How was she supposed to face him after last night?

Kicking the heavy blankets off her, she winced at the sharp pain that reminded her of her injured knee. Taking a little more care, Elizabeth slid off the bed and limped over to the door and held her ear against it. Nothing.

Creeping out into the hall, she caught Jason staring into the fire. Occasionally lifting a steaming mug of coffee to his lips. He really was a beautiful man to observe. Cocking her head to the side, she inched forward, careful to stay hidden.

Nibbling on her bottom lip, she let her gaze wander over the sharp plains of his face. High cheek bones. Well proportioned nose. And his lips. Christ all mighty. They were one of his best features as far as she was concerned. Well besides his eyes. Oh and his broad back. Sighing, she gave up. There wasn't just one thing that attracted her to this man. She was screwed.

Being forced in such a small living space with the one man who always knew how to get through her walls was going to be hell. It didn't mean she wasn't still furious with him. Or that she didn't feel betrayed, by the one and only friendship she never thought in a million years would end. But keeping her anger and pain was going to be a lot harder with him so close by. It'd been easy when he'd kept himself away. But now?

"Want some hot chocolate?" His low voice startled her from her thoughts. Standing up straighter and wiping the dreamy expression off her face.

"No thank you." Her words were clipped.

Not listening to her. Jason rose from the couch and walked into the kitchen. "I put a kettle on a little while ago. The water should be hot."

Waiting for a moment, Elizabeth followed him into the kitchen. The smell of hot choco already wafted in the air. Jason was moving around the kitchen. Opening up cupboards and shifting through the contents within. Soon he pulled out a large bag of marshmallows. "There's no whip cream. But you like these too right?" Holding up the bag for her inspection, Jason waited as she looked back at him warily.

Lowering the bag, Jason heaved a long sigh. "Listen Elizabeth. We don't need to be like this. There's no telling how long we're going to be here. For now can we just call a truce? Later you can go back to hating me if you want."

Still not answering him, Elizabeth let her eyes fall to the bag. Then back up to meet his gaze. "Fine, truce. I'm going to take a shower. The marshmallows are fine." Turning around, she stopped. With her heart in her throat, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "And I could never hate you." Without a look his way she continued on to the bedroom to grab some clothes.


	7. Chapter 7

Letting the water beat down on her back, Elizabeth let out a long sigh of contentment. She loved showers. The hot, steamy water cascading down her body. Relaxing her tense muscles. Clearing her head. It was almost a religious experience for her.

Jason thought she hated him. The thought came uninvited, and made her tense again. Perhaps she could understand why Jason might have come up with that conclusion. She had gone a little overboard with the whole I don't know who you are anymore attitude. But she'd been hurting. And it wasn't like he was the type she could sit down with and have some long, emotionally ridden conversation with, so she could work through her pain and understand where he was coming from.

She could see it now. Her trying to explain her feelings, him not understanding and pointing out facts. It was business. There wasn't any room for mistakes or slips. It wasn't any different than her fake death. Or the secrets she'd once had to keep during the Spencer/Cassidine wars. There had been people who's emotions had been hurt, but too many lives had been in danger to go around and tell everyone who was effected the truth.

Facts and emotions didn't mix well. Especially when a small part of her knew she was being slightly hypocritical in the situation. Honesty sucked.

Rolling her head from side to side she forced the thoughts that had been haunting her for the last few months out of her head. Five minutes, that's all she wanted. Just to be able to stand under the hot spray and forget how crappy her life was.

Just as she started to relax there was a loud snapping sound. The lights dimmed, flickered then went out. Leaving her in a running shower that was quickly turning cold. Groping around in the pitch black, she searched for the nozzle and quickly turned the water off before she became a naked ice cube.

"Elizabeth?" Jason's sounded concerned as he called out on the other side of the door. "Are you all right?"

Turning slowly to her right, she felt around for the edge of the shower curtain. "Yeah. What happened?"

"I don't know. It's snowing outside, but nothing major. Don't worry the generator should kick on in a minute." Tripping over the edge of the bathtub, Elizabeth yelped and the door cracked open. "Jason don't...I'm not...I don't...Just don't come in."

Jason waited in the hallway. A huge grin on his face. "Do you want me to keep the door open a little so you can see?" Looking over his shoulder he watched through the window as Francis and a few other of the guys brought some gas to fill the generator.

"Yeah keep it open a little." He heard her shuffling around on the other side. Soon the silence was interrupted when the refrigerator came back to life.

"Sounds like the generator just kicked on."

Elizabeth blinked in the dark bathroom. "What about the lights?"

Hearing her small voice, Jason felt a twinge of guilt that he simply ignored. "It's probably not big enough to run everything. At least the food will keep."

Muttering under her breath, she found the towel she'd left on the counter and quickly wrapped it around her shivering body. "What about the heat?"

"I don't know." Jason paused. "If not we have the fireplace."

"They wouldn't keep us here under these conditions... Would they?" Closing her eyes she remembered the look in Brenda's eyes when she'd said that she was kidnapping her for Jason. It wasn't to get rid of her. But to get them together. Of course they wouldn't let them go. No lights. No heat except the fireplace. They were stuck no question about it.

"Maybe." His voice sounded neutral. "Elizabeth. The electricity just went out. I'm sure in a few minutes it'll come back on. If not we'll get creative. Are done in there yet?"

"No...I can't find my pants." Sucking her lower lip between her teeth, she also couldn't find her bra and underwear. But that wasn't something that she really wanted to shout out to him.

"Need more light?" The door started to open wider, causing her to take an unprepared step back. As she brought her foot down she stepped on something and readjusted her weight...right into a wall.

"What happened?"

"Nothing but me being my ever graceful self." The door was now open far enough that she could see the outlines of objects.

"I'm going to check out the rest of the cabin and see what else is working. Are you going to be okay in there?"

"Jason I'm a big girl. I think I can handle dressing myself." Waiting for his reply, Elizabeth felt all of a sudden alone when she was greeted only by silence.

Checking all of the light switches and other appliances Jason was pleased with the job Francis had done. It hadn't taken Jason long to figure out that he was in one of his and Sonny's safe houses. They owned quiet a few of them. But when he'd inspected the bars on the window last night before he went to sleep he recognized the craftsmanship immediately. So it would go without saying that there would be a large, powerful generator under the cabin.

Heading over to the wood closet, he grabbed a few logs for the fireplace. So he was being a little...sneaky. Conniving. A little like Carly. The last thought would probably keep him up late at night for several nights to come, but right now he needed to keep his mind on the task at hand. Having the electricity turned off was just an after thought while he was writing the list for Francis. But he wanted to ensure he had her undivided attention.

The other things...Well they were things he knew she'd like. Things that would keep them busy.

She was bored. No scratch that. She was well past bored and well into the stage of pounding her head against the wall just for kicks. Jason was sitting on one end of the couch. His nose planted into some book he'd found. Her on the other end ready to pull her hair out from the deafening silence.

"I'm supposed to be at work." She had to say something. Anything.

"Huh?" Jason asked absent-mindedly.

"I'm supposed to be covering Courtney's shift today."

"Well consider it a day off." Flipping the page, Jason still didn't look up from the book. "You cover too many of her shifts anyways."

Elizabeth brow puckered. How would he know if she covered Courtney's shifts or not? Why would he care? "I need the money. Besides she and AJ need the time alone together so they can get their marriage back on track." It also meant that if Courtney could work things out with AJ, then it'd keep her out of Jason's way. Not that she'd ever admit to it though.

His head finally raised from the book. "Her marriage isn't your problem."

"No. But that's not the point. I don't mind working."

"What about painting? I thought you worked there so you could have time to paint." Looking back down at the book, Jason pretended to start reading again.

Remembering the last few paintings she'd done, she grimaced. "Trust me. I'm doing everyone a huge service by not painting. Lucky said the last painting I did was going to give him nightmares for a week."

He made a face. Not at what Lucky had said. He was long past the annoying feeling he got when Elizabeth spoke about him. But what concerned him was what she'd said about her painting. He remembered her once telling him that painting to her was about putting her feelings down on paper.

"Not that I can blame him. It was pretty bad." The room fell into silence again. Staring into the flames, Elizabeth tried to think of something else they could talk about that was on safe ground. Something that wouldn't get them into an argument. Or would tear her heart out. "Lucky and Nikolas are going to go and visit Laura at the hospital in Europe." Like he'd care you twit.

"I take it Luke isn't going." Jason's forced the words through his clenched teeth as his grasp on the book tightened.

Yup stupid topic. "I-I don't know. I doubt it."

Closing the book shut, Jason put it to the side. "Why did he grab you yesterday?" He needed to know.

"Luke's just having a hard time dealing with-."

"Elizabeth." Looking over at her, he sighed. "I really don't care what he's going through. What happened?"

Nibbling on her lower lip, she was dying inside to tell him everything. From Atlantic City to getting caught in the barn. But a part of her wasn't sure about opening up to him like that again. But at this point it beat the deadly boredom that was threatening to claim her life.

"He didn't want to come home." Nodding his head for her to continue, Jason waited patiently. "Lucky and I followed a clue we had on Luke's whereabouts in Atlantic City. After a few dead ends and me almost getting flattened in a bar fight, we found him in some backward southern jail. I ah... snuck in to talk to him."

Frowning, Jason crossed his arms over his chest. "Snuck in?"

"Well..." Clearing her throat, her face flamed. "I told the officers that I was...and it was...I said that I was Luke's wife. Lucky and saw a few other wives starting to show up for the conjugal visits outside the gate."

His jaw dropped. Jason felt his stomach tighten as his head swung over to stare at the freshly washed, innocent woman sitting at the other end of the couch, with her hands over her face. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you could've gotten into if you would've gotten caught?"

"It gets worse." She mumbled. "I guess you didn't hear."

"No I guess that I didn't." Jason answered back. Not sure if he was prepared to hear the rest.

"Well Luke pretty much told me what an idiot I was then told me to go home." Grinding his teeth together, Jason silently agreed with the drunk. "So then Lucky came up with this plan..."

He knew he didn't want to hear this. But let out a deep breath and let her keep talking. "He got himself inside as one of the prisoners."

"Christ." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he shook his head.

"So after Luke beat the crap out him, they were sent to a field to work." The more she talked around him, a little more of the weighted she'd been carrying around lessened.

"Where do you come into this?"

"Well we'd gotten this old convertible. It was really nice. Too bad we had to-."

"Elizabeth?" He couldn't take it for much longer.

"They were working in the field and I flattened the tire and stopped a few feet away from the guards." She felt Jason stand up from the couch and looked over to where he started to silently pace. His jaw was tight, two crisp blue orbs turned on her.

"Did they have guns?"

"Rifles."

"And you just drove up there and what? Played all innocent with big fat tears in your eyes?" He could see it now. Her playing the stranded woman act.

"Not really." Starting to wonder if perhaps the silence hadn't been all that bad, Elizabeth contemplated not telling him the rest.

He was two seconds away from strangling her. Sneaking into a prison, guns and god only knew what else. Here he thought his life style was putting her in danger. When all along she'd had no problem finding it on her own. "Go on."

"I had on this tight black leather skirt..." Why was she telling him this? "And this leopard spotted top."

He was going to kill her. "So you tried to seduce the guards?"

"No! Just get their attention."

"No #$?" Rubbing the back of his neck, Jason let out a deep breath. "Then what happened?"

"Well Lucky was supposed to get him and Luke free of the chains while I distracted the guards. Unfortunately they weren't all that interested once Luke started arguing with Lucky about taking off. Lucky broke their chains and he didn't have any other choice but run."

"They left you there...alone. Did the guards fire on them?"

Elizabeth considered not telling him about reaching for one of the rifles in time to save the guys. But the cold glare coming from Jason was making it hard to force a lie out of her mouth. "Well yeah."

"And no one got shot?"

"I kinda grabbed the gun." Jason face turned white as a dark curse came out of his mouth. "But we all got away, no one got shot, and we met in a barn about five miles away. That's when we got caught." What? His head snapped up. He definitely didn't heard about this. "Some federal agents tracked us down. Slapped the cuffs on and brought us back to Port Charles."

"Elizabeth you can't just go around breaking into jails and busting people out." He couldn't believe he was lecturing her on this. And by the way she was looking at him, neither could she.

"You work for the Mob!" Her eyes widened as she stared at him in shock. "Don't you dare tell me what I should or shouldn't be doing."

"It's too dange-."

"I swear to God," her eyes flashed blue fire as she interrupted him. "If you finish that sentence I will scream."

"What do you want me to say? Gee sweetheart that's great, hope you had fun." Somewhere along the way their simple truce and tentative conversation had gotten out of hand. But he could only take so much.

"How about this for starters. Don't call me sweetheart. You're married...remember?" Her mouth snapped shut in distress. She'd sounded disgustingly jealous. "I'm going to go and lay down."


	8. Chapter 8

Sleep was not an option. Neither was leaving the bedroom at this point. So Elizabeth opted to pace the length of the small room. Wringing her hands and muttering under her breath. Inside her head, so many thoughts buzzed around. It took a great effort just to sort through the mess. Trying to somehow make some sort of sense out of it. Conflicting emotions hummed through her body.

One minute she was infuriated with herself by letting one simple conversation get to her. To let Jason's reaction goad her into reveling how she was feeling inside. No that wasn't right. Jason hadn't done anything wrong, it'd been her. He reacted in his ever so normal way. Believing that everything and anything she did was dangerous.

So maybe what she and Lucky had done had been a little risky. Not very well thought out.

But where did he get off by getting angry with her? They hadn't spoken in months. She'd become one of the many that he looked right through. Not that she'd been a peach in the situation. Telling him that she didn't know him anymore. That he'd ruined any chance they had to be a couple. But since when did Jason have any problems filtering through the BS lies? He always knew when she was hurting, saying things that weren't true. Always knew when she was hiding when the pain got too bad to live with.

And he, big bad Jason Morgan, had the audacity to tell her right from wrong? Breaking people out of jail... bad. Staying home and knitting... good. So what was it to him? She helped out a friend in need. A friend by the way that was almost like a father to her. When had that become a crime? Perhaps helping the Spencer's was more like an extreme sport. Fun and exhilarating one second. Scary and breath taking the next. Not the safest way to go in life. But the thrill of it was down right addictive.

Back and forth her anger went. Taking the blame as well as dumping it on the man who was just beyond the door. Every thought and emotion she'd kept secretly locked away for too long came out. Past conversations played through her head, as she picked them to pieces. Basically she was driving herself insane.

The room was closing in on her. Making it hard to breathe. Nothing made sense. The harder she thought about it the more scrambled everything became. Looking over to the door, Elizabeth knew she couldn't stay in the room any longer. Pushing down her indecision she stalked over to the door and ripped it open.

She'd half expected to find Jason sitting back on the couch, his head shoved in some book. What she wasn't prepared to see was Jason sitting on the edge of the couch. Elbows resting on his strong thighs. His sandy brow low in concentration as his hands fumbled to glue a piece of red construction paper into a link.

The three feet of chain he'd completed so far was a far cry from the one they'd made years ago. This one had no particular pattern. The links were a little sloppy made. But to Elizabeth it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

She watched as Jason reached for his beer sitting amidst cut strips of red, green and white. Bringing it to his lips he picked up the chain and held it out for his inspection.

"I knew you were a closet Christmas freak." She couldn't help but tease him. It just felt right. His reaction to her was a crooked smile that made her heart skip a beat.

"I finished the book and there wasn't anything else to do." His voice was non-committal, but his eyes studied her intently.

His gaze was making it hard for her to think. Hell she was having difficulty breathing. And once again she felt irritated with herself. She was making too much of the situation. Allowing that small romantic part of her she hadn't been able to squash, to let past memories get the best of her. That chain link meant everything in the world to her. Reminding her of a time when she and Jason were friends, no they had been more than friends.

To him. It was just a bunch of paper glued together. A way to kill time.

"Where did you find the paper?" Jason looked up from under his brow as she took a seat in the chair furthest away from the couch. He could see that the artist in her dying to fix the mess he was making with the chain and fix it. Her hands gripping onto the armrest, itching to help out.

Shrugging his shoulders, he sipped on the beer again. "Around."

"Oh." The room fell into silence again. Jason picked up another red strip of paper, linking through the red link that he'd already made. It was taking all her willpower not to say something.

Picking up the glue, Jason squeezed a large dab of glue on the paper, the excess dripping off the edge. Pinching the two ends together unevenly, he kept himself from laughing when Elizabeth found the need to sit on her hands.

"Do you want to help?" She'd been paying such close attention to the mess his hands were making, that she almost missed his question.

"No." The word barely out of her mouth when he picked up again another piece of red construction paper. Her willpower snapped. "Well since there isn't anything else to do."

Leaving the chair and sitting down on the floor on the other side of the coffee table, Elizabeth grabbed a white piece and fished one end through the last link Jason had made. Missing the smirk on his face. Or the fact that he took the other end of the chain and grabbed for a green strip. They worked in silence. Occasionally touching when they'd grab for the glue or the same piece of paper. But it was a comfortable silence. The kind they once had with one another.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Not able to meet his eyes, Elizabeth concentrated on the links in front of her.

"Which time?" His voice held a tone of amusement as he stood and walked into the kitchen. Coming back with a beer in each hand. "Last night when you told me not to make a mess when I off'd myself. Or earlier when you told me not to call you sweetheart." It was a cheep shot and he knew it. But the way she blushed when he'd spoken the endearment was well worth it.

"Both, I guess. Mostly today though. After the truce and all."

"I shouldn't tell you what you should or shouldn't do." Twisting the caps off the drinks. He set one down in front of her, before taking his seat again.

She didn't know how to respond to that. She decided to stay on neutral ground. "So what should we put on top of it?" Looking at the tree, she tilted her head slightly to the left.

"You know that I'm not in love with her. I can barely stand her. Right?" He watched as her body tensed. Hated the way her hands shook before she fisted them into tight little balls.

She didn't want to talk about this. This was not safe ground. Christmas tress yes. Brenda no. "I think I can make an Angel out of the white paper..."

He wasn't going to let her back out. Not now. He didn't know how long Brenda planned on trapping them here. But he was going to take advantage of every second he had. "Everyone thought Brenda was dying. Someone needed to be able to take care of her when she got worse. At the time I didn't think I had anything to lose."

Rubbing her forehead, her eyes glued to the empty treetop, Elizabeth tried to remain calm. Worked hard to block out his words. "O-or perhaps I could-."

"Elizabeth I don't care if you put a bowling ball on the top of the tree." Cutting her off, Jason scowled.

Picking up the beer he'd placed in front of her, Elizabeth took a huge drink of the nasty tasting liquid. "It's really not my business..."

"Why not?" He demanded.

The question through her off, as did his reaction to her answer. "Because...we're not together...I mean." Growing frustrated at her own inability to answer the question, Elizabeth practically growled. "It just isn't... We're not at the same place we used to be. I went my way, you went yours."

"I wasn't given much of a choice in the matter." Her eyes lifted to his. He saw a flash of pain in them. Making him want to gather her up in his arms. "You may not be in the same place anymore. But honey let me tell you I'm still there and it's lonelier then hell."

"You made your decision when you lied to me." She knew it was a copout, but her pride wouldn't let her take another route. "A-And now you're married. Whether you love her or not...you're married to Brenda."

Every muscle in his body tensed. Standing up calmly he took a few steps away before spinning around and kicking at the end of the couch in anger. Christ she was stubborn. Here he was laying everything out in the open and she wouldn't budge.

Her eyes wide open, Elizabeth studied the back of him. His little outburst was the most emotion she'd seen from him in a long time. Frustration nearly oozed from his body.

She wasn't being fair. Not after everything that he'd done for her in the past. But damnit there was still so much she was upset about. Things that were slowly eating away at her, making it hard to let down the walls she so painstakingly built.

"What do you want me to say Jason?" Using his words from earlier, was watched the way his muscled tensed. "Gee Sweetheart, I'm really glad you explained to me why you got married to another woman. It really makes sense now."

His back still to her, Jason let out a little laugh at her sarcasm. "How about this for starters..." Repeating her words, he turned back around to face her. Slowly he crossed his arms across his muscled chest. "You stop lying. To me...to yourself. Tell me how you really feel."

Tell him how she felt. Jason Morgan wanted to have a conversation about feelings. Having to blink a few times to make sure it was really him standing there, waiting for her to answer. Once upon a time they'd been able to talk like this. Long ago. Like the last time he was in town.

It seemed that since his return they hadn't had the time. Or someone was calling, needing Jason's help with something. They'd once been able to say just about anything to one another. This was what she had wanted. When everything started to turn up side down all she prayed for was for him to just open up. Tell her what was going on inside of him. Now she had a chance to talk, really talk to him and she didn't know where to start.

"I feel a lot of things." Her voice was low.

It was a start. Letting his arms fall to his sides, Jason remained silent. Knowing that opening up like this was nearly killing her. "I'm angry. At you, Sonny, Carly. But mostly at myself. I feel stupid for being so easily fooled, for not being able to read you like you've always been able to do with me. I should have known...somehow. That something wasn't right. But I was so wrapped up making sure you were okay, that I just missed what was right in front of my face."

Looking away briefly, Jason brought his eyes back to her. She had put so much faith in him. He'd been a bastard to rip the rug out from under her like he had. Why wouldn't she be angry? Everyone in her life had done nothing but hurt her. Push her aside without so much as a thought of how it made her feel. She'd been lied to and used, so many times. She'd thought he was different. Christ, he'd believed he was different from all the others in her life.

She was on a roll. It was like the dam inside her had finally cracked and slowly the things she'd kept to herself came trickling out. Now she was overwhelmed with things to say. Things she wanted to tell him. "Betrayed, because I was foolish enough to hope that what we once had was strong enough to last through anything. We didn't even get a chance to go out on a date. That's how short-lived our relationship was." Tears pooled in her eyes, as she struggled to talk past the lump in her throat. "I still can't believe you'd just let me walk away like that. You didn't even fight for me. I think that's the hardest thing to get past...to understand. Was I wrong? Did I not mean enough to you? Why couldn't you have put just a little effort into getting me back? To sit me down and tell me that I'm worth it?"

She was breaking his heart. Standing across the room, watching the pain etched into her soft features, as she fought with all her might not to cry. Throwing caution to the wind, Jason closed the distance and gathered her into his warm embrace. Tightening his arms around her when she tried to pull away, holding his breath until he felt her lean into him.

Her hands bunched into his shirt, as a muffled sob escaped from her lips. Her tiny body shook, as he rubbed her lower back trying to comfort her. Kissing the top of her head, he waited. Let her get it all out. When she finally started to calm down he anticipated her escape and pulled her even closer to his chest.

"Elizabeth you are worth it. In every way. You have to believe that."

"But-."

"Shh. No buts." Pulling her away from his, but keeping his hands secured to her arms he looked down into her upturned face. "Can we please find a way to work through this? I want another chance."

He watched with a heavy heart as she silently shook her head. Tears fell from her eyes. "No."


	9. Chapter 9

"No." Jason repeated her answer. His face paled as he cocked his head to the right. It felt as though he'd been slugged in the gut with a sledgehammer, repeatedly. His first instinct was to pull away, to put a little distance between them, but he fought it off. He needed to keep a clear head about the situation. When it came to her emotions, Elizabeth was notorious for saying things she didn't mean. After three years of knowing her, he'd finally learned that painful lesson.

Unlike last time in the penthouse, he stood his ground. Took the time to really look. To see if her words and her heart were both telling him the same thing. Searching past the pain and other conflicting emotions to the place where Elizabeth sometimes hid within herself. He'd never be so arrogant to assume he was the only person who could find her there. He was the only one who bothered to take the time.

As much as Elizabeth liked to believe she could hide her true feelings from the world, she couldn't. No one with that much passion, empathy and loyalty could. He had to give it to her though. The walls she'd learn to build were good. Built high enough that the average person would never get a glimpse past them with only a quick glance. They needed to care enough to look for the truth.

So this time he took the time. Looking past all the junk and got his answer.

Given some time and a little patience everything was going to be fine.

Elizabeth stood rooted to the ground blinking. Her mind had gone numb as she repeated her answer to Jason, over and over again inside of her head. Had she just really told him no? Told the one man that made everything in her life more exciting, colorful, emotional...no. Had she lost her mind? Perhaps she wasn't ready right at this very moment. There were a lot of things she needed to get past, to understand. But she'd been given the chance to have Jason back in her life again and she'd said no.

Not I need more time. Or of course I'll give you another chance. But no. Her natural defenses had to kick in and take over her body and apparently her mouth.

Now she expected him to retreat. To drop his hands and walk away. Wouldn't she if she were in his shoes? Shockingly enough, he didn't. He remained standing in front of her. Hands gripping into her shoulders as his head lowered to the floor for a moment before he looking back up again.

A look of utter determination stared back at her.

"I shouldn't have asked you that so soon. It was stupid, impulsive and selfish of me." She felt his hands loosen on her shoulders. But instead of dropping them to his sides. He ran them down her arms, taking her hands in his.

They both looked down at their joined hands. She knew she should say something. Tell him that having him in her life meant everything in the world to her. But somewhere in-between her heart and her mouth the words never made it.

"Are you hungry?" Giving her hands a gentle squeeze, Jason had to distance himself from her. Or he'd start hounding her on her answer. He'd push when it was abundantly clear that she wasn't ready yet for that next step. He needed to give her some space.

Was she hungry? How did the conversation go from giving him a second chance, to wanting to eat? Even if she were famished how in the hell was she supposed to swallow past her heart that was at the moment lodged in her throat?

"The stove works and I thought I'd find us something to eat." Not waiting for an answer, he was out of the room before she had the chance to kick-start her mouth.

What was going on? It felt like someone had tossed her into a mixer and pushed the puree button. They'd been kidnapped by his nut job of a wife. Had no electricity. Spent the afternoon making Christmas chains. Her mouth was saying things she didn't mean. Jason didn't look all that upset by being shot down. And now he was making them lunch like it was like any other day?

"I hope you actually like soup." Jason yelled from the kitchen. The sound of a pots clinking in the background. "Because I really don't think there's much else I can make in the dark."

Soup. A smile tugged on her lips. "Did you just say that you were making soup?"

Hearing the amusement in her voice, Jason couldn't help but chuckle at their inside joke. Looking down at the liquid heating up in the pan, he made a face. The lengths he'd go to, to make her smile.

"Unlike you, I won't force feed it to you." Bittersweet memories of their time spent at her studio filtered through his head. Of the gallons of soup she'd insisted he eat. Still to this day he couldn't look at the stuff without getting slightly ill.

The small window above the sink offered limited light as the late afternoon sun disappeared behind the trees. He should've asked Francis to get a flashlight or two. But he didn't want to appear too well supplied. Perhaps a few candles would help. One thing was for sure, the only room in the cabin getting any heat was the living room.

Coming up with an idea. Jason shifted around the cabinets and found three extra large cooking pots. Filling each one to the rim he placed them on the stove and turned the knobs to high.

With his task done, he pouring the soup into two bowels. He grabbed the box of crackers and made his way back out into the living room. Stopping at the breathtaking sight that greeted him.

Elizabeth was standing on the coffee table she'd pulled over to the tree. Trying to get the chain on the highest breach. Her arms high above her head as she struggled in vain but never giving up.

"You could've waited." Hurrying over, he placed their food on one of the end tables on his way to her side.

"I needed to do something." Stubborn as always, she went up on her tippy toes, she leaned closer to the tree. Making his mouth grow dry in concern. She'd already had her knee torn up when Francis tackled her. Her right hand was still slightly swollen and bruised. Stubbed her toe on the table. The last thing he needed was her to fall off the coffee table and into the tree.

Stepping up behind her. Jason reached up over her head and took the paper chain out of her hand and hooked it over the top branch. Making sure that he didn't leave her with enough space to make a hasty escape, Jason leaned forward slightly until his chest brushed up against her back.

It was mean of him. Not really playing fair. But he was well past playing by the rules with her. Plus hadn't he let her answer drop just a few minutes ago? He didn't push her by calling her on her lie. If it weren't for him having the electricity shut off, they'd be even in his book.

"I guess it doesn't matter at this point if we had lights to put on the tree." Elizabeth said, her voice slightly wistful.

"I bet the tree back at your place is covered in lights." Jason recalled the small pathetic looking tree she'd brought back to the studio. They'd covered that thing in so many lights and decorations that in the end it was hard to find the twig underneath all that crap.

"I didn't get a tree this year." His arms were no longer above her head, but down near her shoulders. While he arranged the chain on the branches. His scent filled her and if she were to take just one small step back...

"Why not?"

His question snapped her out of the direction her thoughts were taking her. "You sound like Lucky."

She watched as Jason's hands paused. Almost seeing the frown on his face. "I hope you're joking."

"No. He asked me the same thing last night." Was it really just last night that Lucky had walked her home? Seemed like months ago. "You'd be amazed by the things that Lucky's been saying lately. Some of them even make sense." Hearing Jason snort from behind made her look over her shoulder at him. "No really. He even defended you last night." Another small victory. She'd been talking about him. Though he didn't know how he felt about Lucky Spencer defending him.

The need to question her on her lack of a Christmas tree buzzed in his head. Instead he busied himself again with getting the chain looped over branches. He had a sinking suspicion that were he to ask, he probably wouldn't like her answer very much. "Sounds like you and Lucky have called a truce to your little war."

As he spoke, Elizabeth could feel his breath on the backside of her neck. Making her toes to curl, and her walls to give way a little. "Kind of. There's still a lot of things that we don't talk about. But he's proving to be a better friend than he was a boyfriend."

"By getting you arrested and shot at?" Accidentally crushing the links in one of his hands, Jason had to remind himself to remain calm. That starting another fight with her wasn't going to solve anything. Only take him back a few steps.

"For your information it wasn't me they were shooting at. Do I need to remind you that just a few months ago you and Zander were fighting over a gun that ended up shooting me in the arm?" Her spine stiff, Elizabeth tried to step off the table. Only to have Jason wrap an arm around her waist to keep her in place.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." His mouth dangerously near her ear had Elizabeth gulping for air. "I'm glad you had someone there for you. Even if it was Lucky. Come on the soup is getting cold." Giving the tree one last look, Jason let her go and stepped off the table. Extending his hand to assist her down.

Pulling the coffee table closer to the fire, Jason grabbed their bowels. Placing one down in front of her, he watched as she picked up her spoon and started to eat. Looking down at his own food, he couldn't find the appetite to shovel the stuff in. Sitting back against the couch instead he waited for her to finish.

"It's going to get cold tonight."

Elizabeth's eyes flickered to one of the windows. Took in the falling snow and felt a shiver run down her spine. "You don't think the electricity will come on by then?"

"I don't know. If not we can grab the blankets from the bedroom and camp out in front of the fire." Shrugging his shoulders, Jason swirled the soup around his bowel.

Sucking her lower lip between her teeth, Elizabeth's eyes flickered around the small living room. Camp out... together? The idea set off a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. A vision of her and Jason in a cocoon of blankets in front of a roaring fire burned an image in her head. Her lying on her side, him spooning her from behind. His thick muscular arm draped over her hips.

"If it comes to that you can have the couch." Jason commented as he hesitantly picked up the spoon and took a small bite.

"What?" Her face burned bright, realizing that Jason had been talking to her the entire time she'd been daydreaming about them spending the night in front of the fire.

His expression turned puzzled as he looked up from his meal. Elizabeth looked like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Unable to meet his gaze, her eyes searched frantically for something to lock onto. This time he could swear it had nothing to do with her anger of resentment towards him. She looked embarrassed. Even in the dimming light, he could see the blush go from her neckline up to her cheeks.

"I said you could have the couch." Repeating his words slowly, his brows drew together as she started to fidget. "Is there something wrong? You know that I wouldn't try any-."

"Oh god no!" Now she was more than embarrassed. She was mortified. Of all the reasons she was upset with him, never would she think he'd try to take advantage of her. Push himself on her. "Jason no matter what I'd never think that you'd do something like that."

His eyes connected with hers. Both remained silent as they studied one another's expressions. Unable to stop himself, Jason reached across the table and took her hand into his. "So tell me...is my soup worthy to be served to the patrons of Kelley's?"

Feeling the warmth, from where his skin touched hers travel up her arm and straight to her heart, Elizabeth sat back a little and let an easy smile spread across her lips. "Perhaps. Maybe I'll out in a good word for you with the owner."

The sound of her teasing voice nearly brought tears to his eyes. He'd dreamed of hearing her soft and gentle tone again. To see the sparkle gleaming back at him in her eyes. And as irritating as it was he owed this all to his wife. Perhaps when this was all over he'd go easy on Brenda. For once she did something that didn't annoy him.


	10. Chapter 10

Stepping out of the bathroom, goose bumps covering every inch of his body Jason rubbed vigorously at his wet hair. That was the last time he'd ever take a shower that cold. It felt more like tiny sharp shards of ice penetrating his skin instead of water.

It didn't help him any, that all he could think about was the hot steamy bath Elizabeth had the night before. How it would've felt like heaven, compared to the hellish experience he'd just put himself through. Better yet, if she were in the bath with him. Her naked soapy flesh pressed up against his as her firm bottom was nestled between his thighs. Bubbles clinging to her pert high breasts... it was those thoughts that forced him to skip heating water on the stove and straight into the shower.

"Cold?" He heard her humored voice from the couch. She was a vision. Her hair in a wild mess against her pillow. Heavily lidded eyes still struggling to stay open, as she snuggled into the warmth of her blanket.

"You want to find out?" Cocking a brow in her direction, Jason threw his towel over a chair and took a seat near her feet on the couch. "I'm sure the cold water would wake you up."

Her eyes drifted shut as she struggled to stay awake. "What time is it?"

"I don't know." Looking toward one of the windows, Jason shrugged his shoulders. "Six maybe."

"Six!" Groaning loudly, she pulled at the blanket until it was over her head. "Why are you up so early?"

"I don't know. I woke up."

"But that's the beauty of it. There's nothing to do. No job to go to. No early appointments. You can sleep in. See watch this is how it's done. You close your eyes, relax and then drift off to sleep." As if to prove her point, Elizabeth yawned and let her eyelids close.

"Yeah, well you didn't have to sleep on the floor."

"Don't cry to me. I told you I'd take the floor." Her tone lacked any sympathy as she snuggled into the blanket. "I know how hard the floor must have been on your old, decaying bones." Her face was hidden from view but Jason could almost see the teasing smile on her face.

"Are you calling me old?"

"Well you are getting close to thirty now. I'm just surprised your hair hasn't started to thin and turn gray yet." His lips twitched at her joking. This was how it used to be between them. Out of everything, he missed their teasing most. "Maybe it's all the gel you use in your hair that makes it look so thick."

"You're a brat you know that." Tickling her sides he was rewarded by a shriek of laughter. "Admit that I'm not old." Pinning her legs down beneath the blanket, Jason kept up his assault on her ticklish spots.

"I can't." Elizabeth wheezed out. "Not with the potbelly you're getting." Trying to kick her legs out beneath him, Elizabeth wiggled as his hands come in for another attack.

"So now I have gray thinning hair and a big belly?" Straddling her legs he grabbed her hands that were punching out at him with one hand and held them high above her head. His free hand still tickling her. "Anything else I should be aware of? Ear hair? A slight shuffle when I walk? Liver spots on the back of my hands?"

"N-No." Tears were flowing from her eyes as she tried her damnedest to avoid his hand that was torturing her sides. "Except that you snore at night."

"I do not." Leaning forward until their faces were just inches apart, Jason stopped tickling her. Looking down at her tear stained face he couldn't deny the pull she had on him any longer. Their eyes met, and it was his undoing. Dipping his lips down to taste her. Jason nearly wept when she didn't immediately pull away.

His chest pushed into hers, as his hand released hers. Touching the side of her face, he memorized every inch of her smooth skin. His mouth latched onto hers. His tongue pushing past her lips, while his other hand tugged at the blanket that separated them.

Pulling away to stare down at the angel beneath him, Jason took in her dreamy eyes and swollen lips. "Elizabeth."

Hearing him moan her name snapped her out of the haze that always surrounded her when they touched like this. Turning her head away before he could claim her mouth again, Elizabeth pushed at his shoulders. "We...We can't do this."

This time she wiggled out from underneath him. Unable to look in his direction as she put some distance between them.

"Why not?" His words came out harsher than he meant. But the absence of her soft body muddled his brain. Made his body scream in anger.

"Because." Walking over to the Christmas tree, Elizabeth tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. Her body felt cold and empty without him.

"That's not an answer." He was beyond frustrated. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He knew it, could sense it. Could see it in the way she looked back at him.

"It won't work." Her small voice was filled with pain as she whispered her answer. Her back to him as her head bowed.

"What won't work?"

"Us. You and me." Her voice cracked. "No matter how much we want it to. Or how many times we start over. Face it, it just can't be."

The hell he'd admit that. There wasn't anything in the world that he wanted more than the woman standing in front of the Christmas tree he'd helped decorate. Elizabeth Webber was the only woman he wanted to share his life with. To come home to and spend the rest of his days proving his love and devotion to. "That's not true."

Slowly she turned around to face him. It took every ounce of strength to bring her gaze level with his. "Jason think about it. We lasted for what? Twenty-four hours before everything went to hell. When it's just me and you we're fine. But when outside influences are mixed in we don't stand a chance."

Running a hand through his hair Jason wanted nothing more then to ignore this conversation. But this was the one last obstacle holding them back. The thing that until now she refused to talk about. "You knew about my job..."

Her expression turned offended. "It had nothing to do with your job. I knew what you did way before there was any us. It's just..." Letting out a sigh she shook her head. "There's too many people depending on you. Expecting you to fix their problems. To lie for them. To marry people you don't like so they can feel more secure about their own marriages. It'd be one thing if you didn't consider these people your friends. But they're more than that. To you they're your family. Unfortunately I don't fit in. There's no room for me in your life besides a few spare moments here and there. And I want more than that. I deserve more than that."

"I never said that you didn't" As badly as he wanted to deny the rest of what she'd said he knew that every word she'd said had been true. Carly and Sonny sucked up so much of his time, that he'd barely had a chance to live his own life. Shoving Elizabeth in his penthouse and expecting her to be there with open arms when he got had been wrong.

But he knew this, that his life no longer was his to live. Hadn't he been on his way out of town to figure things out for himself before she came up missing? "I can never take back what happened between us."

"I know."

"But if given a chance we can do things differently."

"Jason. Once we leave here nothing changes. Sonny and Carly will still be there. You'll still be married to Brenda. I've already been in a relationship where I came last. Brainwashing, family feuds, lies. I almost married someone who didn't love me. I went from being important to some kind of obligation. I refuse to let that happen again. I need to be with someone who sees me as a priority. Not an after thought."

"Don't you think I know how messed up my life has become? I was on my way out of town before I heard you were missing." Giving her a pleading look, Jason joined her at the window. "You were never, an after thought."

"Y-You were going to leave...again?" Taking a step back out of his grasp. Her eyes widened as though she'd been sucker punched. "For how long? A year, maybe two this time."

"No." Reaching out for her, he cursed as she dodged him. "It wasn't like that this time."

Anger filled her eyes. "Oh I'm sure." Wiping at the traitorous tears in her eyes with the back of her hand, Elizabeth pulled herself up to full height. "So instead of being able to take off again, you ended up locked in here with me, how very inconvenient for you." Shooting daggers at him with her eyes. Elizabeth shook her head in disgust. "I really have to hand it to you. I almost started to believe you wanted me back."

"What in the hell are you talking about?" Clearly lost, Jason spread his arms out wide.

"If I'm so important to you-."

"You are." Jason growled as he took a step forward.

"Oh so you were going to prove that to me by leaving town?" Shouting at him, Elizabeth resisted the urge to hit him. To smack that damn confused expression off his face.

Closing his eyes, Jason gave a half-chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was going to be gone a week. Two tops. I needed time to figure out how to get control of my life again. I wasn't running off. I knew I messed up and needed time to figure out how to fix everything."

The air was taken out of her sails. "Oh." Placing her hands over her face, she leaned her head back and groaned. "I feel so stupid."

"Don't." Not giving her a chance to back further away, he reached out and scooped her into his embrace. "I was coming back. I knew what I wanted. Just needed to come up with a way to get it with out compromising what I wanted out of life."

Inhaling, Elizabeth felt her insides tingle at his scent. "And what is that?"

"I want it all."

"Really? That's not a lot to ask." Smiling into his chest, she wanted to believe more than anything that it could work between them.

"I like my job, my friends...you." Kissing the top of her head, he couldn't help but smirk. "And not in that order. I just needed to find a way to balance it all."

Pulling out of his arms, she reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. Opening her mouth she was cut off by a knock at the door.

"Jason? Elizabeth?" Carly's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Carly?" Taking Elizabeth's hand into his he pulled her over to the window near the door that he and Francis had used the day before. Pushing up the glass it only took a moment before his friend was standing there. Tears falling from her eyes.

"You were eavesdropping." Jason commented dryly.

With a humph, Carly wiped at her eyes. "No. It's cold out here."

"Are you here to let us out?" Watching his friend shake her head, Jason felt a relief like he'd never felt before. He wanted this time alone with Elizabeth. Not that he'd stop trying if they were released. He just wasn't ready to share their time with anyone else yet.

"No, I brought you two some presents." Lifting up two shopping bags filled with gifts, Carly tried to look past his shoulder at Elizabeth. But Jason stepped to the side and gave her a look of warning. "There's some in there for...Elizabeth too."

Taking the screen off the window, Carly passed him one gift at a time through the bars. When their task was accomplished, Carly straightened and reached into her jacket. "Your annoying wife wanted to give this to you herself. But Jax stole her away last night." Handing Jason a thick envelope, Carly didn't let go when he went to take it. "I suggest you open it now, instead of tomorrow."

"Thank you Carly." Smiling softly at his friend, Jason said. "I have some presents in my closet back at the penthouse for you Sonny and Michael."

"I know." Carly beamed. "Thanks of the bracelet. I also grabbed the present you keep in the top drawer of you dresser and wrapped it up for you."

Looking over his shoulder to where Elizabeth was now placing gifts under the tree, he felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. "How did you know about that?"

"I snoop." Blinking at his dark look, Carly waived off his anger. "Like that's a huge shocker for you. Please."

"I can't give that to her now." Not believing the situation Carly had put him in, Jason hissed at her from under his breath. "Which package is it?"

Pretending to study her nails, Carly gave a careless shrug. "I don't know... A small one?"

"Carly."

"What? Fine. The one in silver wrapping. But if you don't give it to her it'll be a huge mistake."

"How do you know I bought it for Elizabeth?"

"Jason I know I haven't been much of a friend lately, but I do know when you're head over heels in love with somebody. Even if it is little..." Clearing her throat and giving him a huge smile, Carly swallowed down Elizabeth's nickname. "And that rock you hid in your underwear drawer four months ago says it all."

Jason muttered under his breath. "I need to change my locks."

Carly laughed. "I'd still get in. I gotta go. Merry Christmas you two." Leaving a speechless Jason in her wake, Carly headed down the steps. Her laughter floating threw the window.

Watching as Carly got into the SUV parked outside, Jason shook his head at his friend's wacky antics. Leave it to Carly to come through when he least expected it. Clutching the envelope tightly in his hand, he turned to where Elizabeth was crouched near the tree. In her hand she held the small silver package that Cary had taken upon herself to steal and wrap.

"No peeking." He half joked, startling the brunette. His stomach was in knots as Elizabeth laid the package gently with the others and stood up. What was Carly thinking? The item in that box wasn't something he had planned on giving Elizabeth anytime in the near future. He'd just gotten her to start talking to him again. Now that she'd seen the gift it'd be hard trying to seek it away from the rest of the loot until a later date.

"I was just wondering which present of mine Carly put the bomb in." Half joking with him, she picked up another package and gave it a gentle shake. She hadn't expected the blonde to go all out like this. There were at least thirty brightly wrapped boxes with pretty ribbons and bows. Most were to Jason. But surprisingly there were several for her. The one that had really caught her attention was the small, shiny silver one. The name tag said it was to her from Jason.

Shaking her head, she looked up to where Jason was standing. A huge smile on his face as his eyes scanned a piece of paper. "What's that?"

"Brenda's Christmas present to me." He chuckled, as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Must be one great gift?" Hinting around, Elizabeth's eyes stayed glued to the document in his hands, waiting for him to tell her.

Realistically she knew that nothing was going on between Jason and Sonny's ex. But Brenda Barrette was a beautiful woman and she couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

Folding up the document, shoving it into his back pocket before he nodded. "The best." A smug expression plastered on his face. Knowing just how curious Elizabeth was, not knowing probably was killing her. Moving to stand behind her, the sound of the wheels turning in her head could practically be heard echoing through the small cabin.

"Are you hungry?" Jason asked after a few minutes of silence. "I could go and make some soup."

"It's not even eight in the morning yet. No one eats soup for breakfast." Elizabeth groaned. Her eyes locked onto the envelope he was shoving into his back pocket. "You're not going to tell me are you?"

Shrugging his shoulders he pulled the envelope from his back pocket and handed it to her before turning to toward the kitchen.

Unfolding the paper with shaky hands, Elizabeth stared down at the black letters. A huge grin, one almost identical to Jason's spread like a wildfire across her lips. Never in her life had one simple word meant so much to her. Divorce. Brenda had given Jason his freedom from their fake marriage. If she'd been in the room, Elizabeth would've kissed her.

Watching her closely from the entrance of the kitchen, Jason needed to see her reaction first hand. To watch her eyes the exact moment that they read over the words that granted him his freedom from a marriage that had been a huge mistake from the beginning. And she hadn't failed. Her face lit up brighter than the Christmas tree in Time Square. Her hands shook as her eyes scanned his divorce papers over and over again.

"This is..."

"Wonderful." He supplied for her when she stalled for a word to describe his gift.

"Yes, but that's not exactly what I was thinking. It's just..."

Lifting a brow, Jason waited for a moment to see if she'd finish her thought. "Outstanding?"

Nibbling on her lower lip, Elizabeth scrunched up her face and shook her head. "No...I was thinking more like... weird."A short peal of laughter erupted from her lips as she took a glimpse at Jason's amused expression, "She kidnaped us, locked us up in a cabin in the middle of no where. Then gives you divorce papers for a Christmas gift?" Holding the papers out for him to take, she couldn't keep the brilliant smile from her face. "Are you one hundred percent sure she's not insane? Or would you like a moment to rethink your stand on that?"

"You think this is weird?" Walking from his spot in the kitchen, Jason took the paper from her hands and folded it up before shoving it into his back pocket again. "You should see what she did to the penthouse." Shaking his head sadly at what had become of his home. "Everything from the walls to the carpet to the curtains is this obnoxious pink color. It looks like someone puked up Pepto-bismal all over the damn place." Elizabeth laughed again at the agony he was clearly in. The sound was music to his ears. "Its gonna take me a long time to get the place back to normal."

"What? Bare and boring? I've seen pictures of Amish homes that had more decor then yours did.." Her eyes sparkled impishly at him.

"You know, if you didn't like it you could have redecorated." Reaching out and tucking an unruly curl behind her ear, he noticed the blush that crept up from her neck up to her cheeks.

The conversation was traveling into dangerous territory again and she really didn't know if she was ready for another round so soon. "Well I'm sure you'll be able to get the penthouse back to its former glory."

He knew what she was doing. And he really wished that he was man enough to just let it go for the time being. But apparently he wasn't the man he thought he was. "It doesn't really matter. It's not much of a home without you there."

With a frustrated sigh, Elizabeth leaned back her head and brought her hands up to cover her eyes. "Why do you keep doing this?"

"Because you mean too much to me to give up on. I made the mistake of letting you walk away once. I can't do that again. Not without a fight."

Why was he doing this? After months of nothing, he was making up for his neglect in just a few days. She wanted nothing more than to believe that he wanted this. That when they left here, he was going to feel this passionate about the two of them. But after the last time she didn't know if she could trust him with her heart again

"But we tried, it didn't work..."

"We didn't have a chance."

"And what is going to change when we leave here? You'll still work for Sonny. Jumping every time he snaps his fingers. Running every time Carly needs you to get her out of one of her famous jams. Jason I know that your job is important to you and so are your friends. But where exactly would I fit into your life?"

"Why are you so scared?" He demanded.

"I'm not scared." Her expression became outraged. "I just don't want to get hurt again."

His brow puckered, as his eyes darkened. "You don't think that I was hurt when you walked out on me? You didn't even give me a chance to explain to you what happened. For months you treated me like some damn stranger." Taking a deep breath, Jason closed his eyes and made himself let go of the pain he felt whenever he thought of that day. Shaking his head, he looked back at her.

"Elizabeth tell me what you want. We used to be able to talk to each other without these walls. Just tell me what you're feeling deep down."

Could she tell him? Just blurt out what she wanted deep in her heart. No bars held, no second thoughts. What if she wanted something more than what he was willing to give? Maybe he just wanted a chance to get back at what they had once had. A special friendship that was on the verge of something unknown. Where she daydreamed about the whole enchilada.

Not that she expected him to drop to his knee and propose. But he did say he wanted her to tell him what she thought about. Just because she dreamed about something didn't mean it was realistic.

She hated feeling so insecure when it came to Jason. It never used to be like this. She'd once been able to say pretty much anything that she wanted...And if she didn't take the opportunity now she may never get the chance again.

"You want to know what I think about. What I want?"

"Yes." His tone was pleading.

"Fine, but you asked for it." Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth decided to take the leap. "I want it all." Using his previous words, she took a step closer to him. Her arms crossed protectively over her stomach. "You, me, a house with a picket fence with two point five children. I want to be able to go on midnight rides on the back of your bike, going everywhere and nowhere. I want to come first in your life. First last and always."

His brows shot up as she ranted on. Her face becoming flush with each word that passed her lips. "Anything else?" His lips twisted.

"Yes. I want to be able to give us another chance so badly that it hurts."

"I want that to. I want all of that." Holding out his hand to her, he held his breath waiting for her to make her choice. He could still see the uncertainly in her eyes as she stood staring at his upturned hand. When her arm started to rise he nearly cried in relief.

It took forever for her hand to latch onto his. Her fingers lacing through his. It was at that moment that he knew without a doubt he'd found his home. A place that he'd always come back to at the end of the day. He'd lost it was and there was no way in hell he'd lose it again, not without a fight.

"Two point five huh?" A smile tickled his lips as he pulled her closer to him. "How about three? Or two. I think the two point five might be a challenge."

Tilting her head back and let out an angelic laugh, her head leveled again. Her eyes twinkling as she wrapped her free hand around his waist. "Are you saying that you aren't up for the challenge?"

His eyes darkened with desire, his body tensed. "Oh I'm up for the challenge." Tangling his right hand in the curls at the nape of her neck, his eyes locked on her parted lips. "Elizabeth I need to know..."

Running her tongue across her parched lips, Elizabeth found it hard to form words with her mouth that was craving his. "What?"

"Us...are we good now?" His hand tightened in a fist in her hair. "W-Will you give us another chance?"

Her eyes flickered to his. Memorized by the stormy blue depths staring back, waiting for her answer. "Y-Yes. I want to be with you."

It was all he was waiting for. Everything else could be worked out later. Swooping down his lips pressed firmly against hers. His tongue penetrating her mouth. He loved the way she tasted. A mixture of snow and the promises of tomorrow. Every time he'd been blessed by having her wrapped in his arms. Her mouth hot and wanting beneath his. He felt like he was king of the world. The luckiest bastard on the faced of the planet.

But unlike their other kisses she didn't hold back this time. That line in the sand she never let him pass was no longer there. He could feel the difference immediately and nearly wept in gratitude.

There was something that she had to tell him, but as his hand released his hold on her hair and traveled down her back to her bottom, she almost forgot what it was. It wasn't until he pulled away and panted deeply, that she remembered.

"Jason?"

"Hmm." Trying to bring his lips back to hers, he was slightly let down when she pulled back.

"I need to tell you something."

With a determined growl, he squeezed at her lush rear and pulled her closer to him. "Tell me later."

Laughing, she turned her head to the side. "I need to tell you now."

With a frustrated groan, he tried to get his hormones in check. "Hurry."

"I love you."

The words were music to his ears. "Elizabeth I love you too. God how I love you." Dipping his head down again he latched onto her lips. His hands inched their way up her back and back down again. Causing her to rub her pebble hard nipples against his chest in response.

It was all the encouragement he needed. Walking her backwards toward the couch, his hands pulling at the hem of her shirt. His palms itching to hold her pert breasts in her hands. To see if her nipples were a soft peach color, or the color of dark berries. Would she squirm if he were to pinch them? Or would she like it more if his mouth was latched onto her, suckling to his hearts desire. He was dying to find out what it would take to make her scream his name in ecstacy. What she'd look like right on the brink, while he held her there, right on the edge until neither of them could take it anymore.

Her hands had already found their way under the back of his sweater. Her sharp little nails digging into his back as she attempted to draw him even closer. "Jason..." Oh god he hoped she didn't want him to stop. It would take every ounce of self control to stop now. "I want you to take me right now. I don't think I can wait through the fore-."

Like she needed to ask twice. His hands abandoned her shirt and went right for the drawstrings on her pants. His fingers trembled as he fought against the knot, if it didn't come loose soon he was going to rip the fleece that was keeping him from her right off her tight little body.

His own jeans proved to be less of a challenge. In seconds flat, the denim plus his boxer briefs were at a puddle around his ankles. His rock hard #$ encased in the soft touch of her hand. It was enough to drive him crazy.

"E-Elizabeth I can't..."

"Shhh." Up on her tippy toes, her hot breath hit the shell of his ear. Making his insides tighten in response. "Let me-."

"Your pants..." Nudging her lips away from his earlobe, he nibbled his way down her throat. "They're stuck...I can't get them off."

Looking down at the knot he'd created in his haste, she let a dark curse as she tackled their problem with gusto. His hands now free, he wasted no time in tugging her top over her head and tossing it carelessly to the side. Leaving the top of her body bare, except a small scrap of lace that served as a bra.

It was her turn this time, with shaky fingers, tugging at the knot with frustration.

With three years of pent up frustration, Jason brushed away her hands and grabbed the string in his hands. His forearms bunched as he yanked at the obstacle and was rewarded with the sound of tearing cloth.

"Now." Her pants slipped past her legs as she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him over the top of the couch and on top of her. The matching panties were disposed of with little grace as he settled himself between her thighs.

"We don't have anything." The tip of his #$ was at the entrance of her hot wet core. His shoulder muscles bunched as he ground his teeth together in frustration.

Hooking her hand behind his head, Elizabeth pushed herself up off the couch. Rubbing herself against him. "Screw it."

She couldn't have spoken any sweeter words. Pushing her back into the couch. Jason thrust deep inside her. His eyes nearly crossing as her heat clenched around him. "Oh my God." His groan was drawn out as he paused. "Elizabeth I never imagined it could feel this good."

Wiggling under him, Elizabeth started to grind against him. No words could describe the physical or emotional way she felt at this very moment. Never in her life had she felt so complete. Absolutely filled to the rim with love. But if he didn't start moving and soon, she'd kill him.

As though he could read her mind, Jason withdrew. Only to slam back in again. Taking her right leg and pulling it up high against his side, he slid back into her. The friction was almost too much to handle. The harder he thrust inside her, the wetter she'd get. The hotter she'd get. Moving his hand between them he searched for her clit and pressed his thumb firmly against her. He refused to come before she did.

"Come on honey. I know you can do it. Come for me." His husky voice sent shivers down her spine. Caused her lower regions clench even tight. Her breathing came out in ragged little gasps. The grip she had on his shoulders tightened. "That's it.

His name flew from her lips as he felt her clench at him tightly around his shaft. With another thrust he went over the edge with her. Spilling his seed deep inside of her.

As soon as the fog cleared from his vision, Jason leaned down and rained kisses down on her cheeks and throat. "I love you."

If she could purr she would. Nothing could come closer to heaven than this. His hot sweaty body pressing down on her. His half hard #$ still buried inside. "I love you too."

"It's going to work this time. I swear to you Elizabeth. I'm going to give you that house, picket fence, two point whatever kids. Hell if you want a dog, I'll even get you one. You mean the world to me. And this time I'm going to fight to make it work."

"Oh Jason." Tears gathered in her eyes as she touched his cheek.

With a rakish grin, he nudged forward into her. Already hard and willing for another round. "How about we put the blankets on the ground and start making up for lost time."

Several hours later, wrapped tightly in his embrace. Elizabeth let out a long sigh of contentment. At this very moment life was perfect. She was a little sore, but it couldn't get better than this. Being held by the man that meant everything to her, after hours of making love.

"What are you thinking about?" His lips nuzzled her neck from behind.

"How perfect it is here." Snuggling into his embrace.

His deep laughter rumbled from his chest. "You mean for a prison right?"

"No." She laughed. "I really think this place is perfect."

"Perfect enough to live here."

Rolling over to face him, her hair cascaded over her shoulder, barely covering her dusty tip breast. "Why do you ask?"

"I just thinking that maybe...if you wanted to..." His cheeks turned red as he started to stumble over his tongue.

"Jason are you asking me to move in here with you?"

"If you want to." Brushing her hair over her shoulder, Jason tried to keep his eyes away from her taunting breasts. "I'd understand if you wanted to take it slow."

Raising a brow at their naked state, Elizabeth grinned at him. "I think I could handle living here with you. Of course you'll have to sleep on the couch." She couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the panic in his eyes.

"You little brat." Cupping her face in her hands, his mouth drank in the taste of their loving making on her lips.

Pushing on his chest to push him back. "I want to open the presents now."

"It's not Christmas." Wrapping his strong arms around her and pulling her on top of him, Jason grinned at her sultry pout. "You're gonna have to wait like the rest of the good little boys and girls."

"But I don't want to." Fighting against his hold, her eyes twinkled as she tried to make her way to the pile of gifts just a few feet away. "All I want to open is just one gift. Then I promise to save the rest for tomorrow."

Not able to say no, Jason loosened his arms and watched in appreciation as she crawled naked over to the brightly wrapped boxes. So caught up in the way her cute backside wiggled form side to side as she searched he hadn't noticed which one she chose.

His gift. Small. Silver.

His mouth turned dry as she carefully picked at the tape. His eyes snapped to her face. Needing to see her reaction the moment she laid eyes on the item within. He shouldn't feel this nervous after making love with her and making plans on moving into the cabin together.

Elizabeth stared down at the velvet box in her hands and fought to breathe. It was the right size. But he wouldn't have. Would he? Her hands trembled as she lifted the lid and gasped at the shiny object inside. "Oh my God...Jason?"

"It's a promise ring. Lila told me about the one Edward gave to her when they were younger. At the time I never thought I'd find a woman I'd ever give one to. But I found that in Mexico and it reminded me of you." Wiping at the lone tear that slipped from her eye. He took the box from her hands and lifted the ring out. "Everything reminded me of you."

"It's beautiful." Holding out her hand to him. She watched as the flames from the fire gleamed off the gem. His calloused hand held hers steady as he slipped the ring on her finger.

"So when do you think we should tell everyone that we've worked things out?" Crawling into his lap, she wrapped her legs around him and impaled herself on his hardened shaft.

Gritting his teeth together and wrapping his hands around her hips. "Woman you're going to be the death of me." Thrusting up, he groaned. "We wont tell them anything. I'm sure we could figure out a few ways to spend the time alone together."

Rolling her underneath him, neither noticed that it had started to snow again outside. Whispering promises that they both had every intention of keeping. Jason and Elizabeth spent one of many Christmases on the floor before the fire sharing their love with one another.


End file.
